Adria
by Lille Loveland
Summary: Prussia/Romania, Serbia/Bulgaria "My name is Valentin Nicolae. I'm 23 years old and I am currently being transported to St. Luciano's Institution for the Mentally Ill. I'm not crazy; it's all Adria's fault. If he'd only get out of my head..." Contains sensitive material and introduces Serbia OC (Who is fantastic)
1. Valentin

_**Author's Note**_: Hello! And welcome to my first installment of Adria! I'm very excited to write this story. I have had this in mind for some time now and I finally get to share it with you! I would like to give special thanks to and introduce a good friend of mine with who I am collaborating with on Adria: Deutschamerikaner. I am going to be using one of his OC's: Serbia. I really love this character and I will be shipping him with Bulgaria.

I hope you enjoy this story and review with your comments!

_**Editor/Co-Author's Note**_: Hallo Ich bin der Deutschamerikaner! I'm very happy to be working with my friend on this. Please tell me what you think, and excuse my shitty grammar and spelling skills that I lack. Dankeschön! Gute Nacht!

_**Summary:**_ "My name is Valentin Nicolae. I'm 23 years old and I am currently being transported to St. Luciano's Institution for the Mentally Ill. I'm not crazy; it's all Adria's fault. If he'd only get out of my head..."

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_**Valentin**_

My name is Valentin Nicolae. I'm 23 years old and I am currently being transported to St. Luciano's Institution for the Mentally Ill. I'm not crazy; it's all Adria's fault. Now that I look back on it, I should have realized it sooner...

His name is Adria Rica. In my language, that means 'Dark Ruler'. But when I met him, he was one of my best friends. What I found odd was that I was the only one who saw him. Everyone simply thought he was my imaginary friend, but I knew he was real.

When I was young, I lived in a small village that straddled the three countries of Romania, Serbia, and Bulgaria. There, we all lived peacefully, happily. We worked for ourselves and our families. I had two best friends there, they were older than me, but they were like brothers to me. Aleksander, who was from the Bulgarian section of the village, and Niko, who was from the Serbian section. I was from the Romanian section and I was one of three children. Aleks and Niko were my best friends; they were like my private little family. We were a family, the three of us.

We were all happy to be together, and we played every day. But, then our family fell apart when Niko had to leave. I can remember crying like a five year old girl. (I was a seven year old boy by then) Niko was always the more lenient with me out of him and Aleks. He had to leave due to his father's work. I think Aleksander was the most devastated out of the two of us. I wasn't sure why, but it could have been that they had known each other longer.

When Niko left, Aleksander became more protective over me and seemed a little...depressed. About a year after that, Aleksander and his family moved farther into Bulgaria and I was sent to an institution by the age of ten. My family was more afraid of me than they were concerned for me.

I would sometimes beat up my siblings. Not the way siblings would usually beat up each other, but much more violently. I didn't want to hurt anyone, but I couldn't help it, and I couldn't stop it. That's because it wasn't me. It was Adria. He looks like me, so they thought it was me. My family just wanted to get rid of me because of him. The one who didn't want me to go was Aleks. He wasn't afraid of me. He was my only friend, the only one I had left. And they tore me away from him.

I was sent to an asylum in the very north of Romania. It was the worst experience of my life, and only made things worse. I was there for seven years, strapped into chairs and poked with needles, zapped with electricity and locked in a room. I was in the same room for seven years; locked in there for years with him.

Being in the same room with Adria Rica is the worst punishment in the world. He doesn't just beat you down with his fists. He makes you hate yourself. He makes you believe that you aren't worth it. That you're just a waste of space, time, and life. Even the doctors that torture you are wasting their time on you. Then he beats you. And the doctors tie you up in a strait jacket and chain you to the wall because they refuse to see the shadow in the corner. The showdown descends on you and you can't fight back and it's not like anyone would help you because they don't care.

Like Adria said, I'm a waste...

But there was that one day I won't forget. I was 17 and a nurse said I was wanted in the lobby. You see, us "crazy people" "mentally disturbed" weren't allowed past the double doors of our prison. The doors we enter upon arrival and never pass through again. But I was an exception as I was lead through those doors, into the clean and happily decorated lobby of Hell. I was met with a very distressed looking man. I say distressed because of the irritated way he glared at the secretary.

It was Aleksander. He found me and he took me away from that place. I'll always remember that when he first saw me he hugged me. And he cried. I was scared; I didn't know who he was or what was going on. You have to remember that I was only ten the last time I had seen him, and here I was, seven years later, being hugged by a strange man. When he told me who he was..."Vali. Vali, don't you remember me? It's me, Aleks. From the village. Please tell me you remember..." I held him for so long, I didn't want to let go, afraid that if I did, I'd be pulled away and sent back into that white Hell.

I wasn't. Aleksander took me away from that place and back to the United States to live with him. He didn't know what was wrong with me. And neither did I. I was never diagnosed; the doctors just threw me in there without a second glance. And at that point...I was very worried that there really was something wrong with me. Something that was Adria. I didn't tell Aleks about Adria for years. I didn't want him to get mad at me and send me back to Romania.

and Adria. He was gone. For years, he was gone. Until recently. He came back, and he came back swinging. My life was Hell again, and it didn't need the straps of the chairs, or the stabs of the needles.

Do you want to know why I'm being sent away? Because if you do...I've got nothing but time to tell you...

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_**Author's Note:**_We hope you all enjoyed this and if so...Let Vali know if you'd like to hear his story... ;D


	2. Niko

_**Co-Author's/Editor's Note**_: So here we are introducing Niko Alovic or the Republic of Serbia. For a bit more background on him and a glimpse at my Rookie writing please see my story: Serbia's Untold Story

Thank you for reading I hope you enjoy.

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**_Niko_**

My name is Niko Alovic; I am a 29 year old Serbian. I served in the Yugoslav Wars as a solider for the Federal Republic and later on for the Republika Srpska (Serbian Bosnia). They say I am insane because I do not talk, and show no emotion…but they have not seen what I have …. Done what I have done… No I cannot speak… when I speak the nightmares will come back…and their faces….No just….please go away...

My mind … was not always like this. I can remember the days my childhood on the border. There was a village straddling three nations on a river, The People's Republic of Bulgaria, The Socialist Republic of Romania, and my own birth nation of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. In this village of three nations there were three families as well, one of Bulgarians, one of Romanians, and one of Yugoslavs. Our family was the biggest. I was the oldest of back then was 9 siblings but would later on be 10. My best friends were two boys, a Bulgarian and a Romanian. The Bulgarian was my age named Aleksander Balakov, Valentin Nicolae was a Romanian and younger than us. I would spend every day with them; we did everything together and with them formed a family of our own. Life was great until the day our beloved Josef Broz Tito died.

My father was a Politician for Yugoslavia and when our beloved leader and hero died, our nation was in chaos. My father was sent by the Communist Party to Bosnia in attempt to help regain control there. I can remember the last day in the village. I and Alek had been walking by ourselves by the river both depressed. Looking over at him with tears in my eyes I hugged him and sobbed not wanting to leave. He just calmly held me and said that we would see each other again he promised. My last memory of my home is watching as we pulled down the road my Bulgarian and Romanian friends looking at me and my siblings as we drove away. Years later the war started. For a while in Bosnia it was alright I missed Alek's and little Vali. But it was okay for the most part but then the war came to our city…at our doors…. and within our family.

I had just joined the Federal Army just in the middle of my youth, still considered a child by some. I remember our leaders talking about the rebels and insurrectionists trying to break our home apart and the anger I felt. My pregnant stepmother was frightened; she took my younger siblings and fled to Slovenia to escape the bloodshed that already seemed to have been starting to leak. Now how I wish I had gone with her….

At the start of the War it was alright. We were fighting to protect our nation and keep our land together. Slovenia had already left the Federal Republic, but now Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina wanted Independence to! It was madness, or so I thought at the time. I remember the fighting with the Bosnian and Croatian Militaries. Men that I had known I would occasionally see, people that were my friends. Now trying to kill me, for trying to hold the union it was madness.

But as the War went on it got more and more violent, it was no longer about keeping the Union; these people were threating Serbia my people and home! I like many of my fellow soldiers and countrymen had forgotten the dream of Yugoslavia and men like Tito and my Father, I only cared for Serbia….Serbia came before everything. My father in the depression and shame of not being able to keep our land together and of not being able to protect his family and children in the conflict committed suicide. Due to the ongoing war … there was no funeral.

Eventually the federal Army quit the war… but we did not. Though we changed names and were now fighting for Sprska we knew what it meant. This was still Serbia all but in name. This was our land and we would die for it and kill for it as well. It was there in Bosnia that the worst was yet to come.

Bosnia was full of three ethnic-religious groups, The Orthodox Christian Serbs, the Catholic Croats, and the Muslim Bosnians. We all looked the same and spoke the same language, but religion is what separated us. And in the end what destroyed us…

I served in the war and I suffered just as much as any. At the end I was broken, mentally and physically. I was sentenced to an Asylum in Serbia…a place of horrors and nightmares not even close to the battlefields… Eventually my Brothers found me. They had been living in America for a long time now. Only after the war had they been looking for me. For a large sum of money and bribes to the Asylum guards and doctors they got me out. They then took me back with them to America and got me placed at an Intuition here…but it was too late I was broken and gone.

And now here I am … Now do you want me to talk to you? Do you want me to tell you what I have seen and done?! Do you want to see the blood like I do?!

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**Co-Author's/Editor's Note**: So do you want to hear Niko's tales? I warn you now you wont like what you hear ^^


	3. Aleksander

_**Author's Note: **_Hi all, I'm terribly sorry for the late update. I had no motivation.

**_Editors/ Co-Authors Note_**: I'm sorry this time it was my fault got too busy. Es tut mir lied!

_**Aleksander**_

My name is Aleksander Balakov. I'm 29 years old and...I just want Vali well. I lost him when we were young. The adults kept saying that there was something wrong with Valentin. He would whisper to himself sometimes, but who didn't from time to time? He had this imaginary friend that he would talk to all the time, and the adults would say that he was sick. But Niko and I both knew that wasn't true. He was just being a kid.

Niko and I just figured he had created an imaginary friend because he couldn't always relate to Niko and me...

Oh, yes, about Niko. I had met Niko Alovic first when we were just toddlers and had been the best of friends ever since. I don't know when, but at some point I wanted to be around Niko more than usual. I wanted to always make sure he was happy, that he smiled. Oh, how I loved it when that boy smiled. And I loved it even more to know I was the cause of it. He had such a beautiful smile.

In truth, that boy was just beautiful all around. I didn't know it at the time, but...I had fallen in love with Niko. Yes. I had only realized my feelings for him the day, infect, the moment, that he was torn from me. His whole family packed up and left, running over my heart as they drove from our dank little village bordering Bulgaria, Serbia, and Romania.

I thought I would get over losing him. I was young and taught that as we grow, we love many times. I thought that my feelings for Niko would fade over time, but...they didn't. I had become more protective of Valentin. Our family was torn apart, and I had to keep what was left of us together. Like Niko told me the day he left. My Niko...

Our family was like everyone else's. We were more than friends, had a bond stronger than brothers. Niko and I cared for Valentin like he was our own kin. In fact, we all cared for each other more than our families did, not to say that our families didn't care about us, we just preferred it to be the three of us.

So, alone I did my best to take care of Valentin, who still insisted to talk to "Adria".

Then came the day the adults stole Valentin. I had seen him happy as can be as we talked about our conversations with Niko the night before, and woke up to screaming and yelling sometime in the odd hours of the dark. I remember rushing out of my little home to see Valentin thrashing and screaming and crying in the arms of multiple adults gripping him.

I tried to get them to let him go, tried to pull him away from them. He reached for me but they pulled us apart and threw him in back of some obscenely white truck, locking him in there. He banged his little fists on the windows, tears streaming down his face. I ran to the truck as they pulled away. They stole him from me. I would never forgive the adults, his family, for doing what they did to ours. They all tore us apart from each other. I was left alone in a village I had come to hate.

I wouldn't leave the house, and my parents became angry with me for it. They kept saying I could just make new friends. But I didn't want friends, because Niko and Valentin weren't just my friends. They were my family and I wanted no one else. There could never be anyone else. At least I still had my letters from Niko. The adults wouldn't tell me where they took Valentin, they only told me he was sick, that he needed help.

Sick? Valentin was perfectly fine to me, I couldn't figure out why the adults kept saying that. It always came down to the adults. I ended up blaming them for everything. So when I moved further into Bulgaria, I was both thankful and angry. I had so many memories there and I had to leave them behind, and yet I no longer had to see those evil monsters that had torn my family to shreds.

So now I was alone without Niko and now without Valentine. I was truly alone. I only had my memories and desperate love for a boy who I had not seen or heard from since my childhood and my worry and longing form the little brother ripped out of my grasp.

When I was of age, I moved to the United States and built a life for myself and began to search for Valentin and Niko. It took me a year and a half to get the first hit on either of them. It turned out to be Valentin. He was...sent to an institution somewhere in northern Romania. I was shocked. And institution? I knew I had to get him out. So the first chance I had, I bought a plane ticket to Romania and drove non-stop to the institution. When I got there and requested to see Valentin, the secretary there gave me so many attitudes...

And then...Vali came out of those doors, he looked so frail and broken. He shook like a goddamn Chihuahua. I held him for so long, I was so happy to have him back. I took him back to the states with me to live with me. He didn't belong there.

Vali stayed with me for a few years before...well before Adria decided to come back. I tried to get him to stop, because he was too old for Adria, but...I soon realized Adria wasn't just an imaginary friend...Adria...was something much more...something much worse.

I tried my hardest to get Vali help...but...


	4. Gilbert

_**Author's Note: **_Hallo, I'm really sorry for such a late update with the chapter. But blame my editor T.T Also, this will be the last of the introductory chapters. I'm sorry if you found them...unpleasing.

Also, just so you know, Markus is** Deutschamerikaner'**s OC of Königsberg, Kaliningrad Oblast

Fredrick (Fritz) is Human! Gilbird as you all have voted and Madeline is Fem!Canada. No I do not support PruCan, it just worked since they aren't together~ ;D If you have any questions, you can leave it in replies or message ^^ after this, the real story will begin!

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_**Gilbert**_

My name is Gilbert Beilschmidt. I'm 30 years old and I am a single father of two boys. I work as a psychiatrist in St. Luciano's Institution for the Mentally Ill. I used to have my own office in Belfast, Maine, but...well you see, I met this man. There was something different about him. Well, other than his mental illness, he...seemed sincere. Now I know that doesn't make sense, but there's no other way to describe him. He was a normal crazy...nein, he was enchanting. That's the word, enchanting. But, how could I tell my sons that?

Maybe I should tell you about my boys. They are my world and I love them with all my heart, I'd give them up for nothing. The oldest, who's 6, is Markus. He looks more like me than my youngest, but acts more like his uncle. Very serious. My youngest, 5, is Fredrick, though we call him Fritz. He's an adorable little fun loving blond.

Their mother and I were married for three years before her brother finally convinced her to leave me. I never did wrong to her. I treated her well, like any woman deserved to be treated. I loved her, so I would do anything for her. She had our sons, and I thought we couldn't be happier. But it turns out my shy little Madeline wasn't happy.

She had been talking to her brother about me, and Alfred definately wasn't fond of me. Glared at me the whole wedding. He constantly told her that she could do better than me, that she should take the boys and go live with him. He had been telling that to her for years, even while we were still dating. And eventually...she agreed with him. Maddeline left, but she didn't take the boys.

Oh, did Markus and Frtiz cry. They cried and cried, clinging to their mother. Even I cried, though, not like the boys. But I begged her; begged her not to go, I pleaded with her. _"Please, Madeline, please, don't go. We can work things out. What about the boys? You can't just leave them..."_

_"Then I'll take them with me."_

_"...M-Madeline, nein, bitte, don't take them from me! Don't go, please stay and we'll figure it out, whatever it is. Madeline please.."_ But she refused. She left, and that was that.

For years, we fought for our children in countless court cases. I began to drink more often, the stress weighed so much on me. But, I would never drink in front of my boys, I only did once they were asleep. I cried a lot too. I knew what made me so depressed, I'm a psychiatrist, it's what I do. But...it's not like I could prescribe myself anti-depressants. I wasn't going to go see another psychiatrist either. I knew how people hated it, and I knew I would too.

I only had my boys to make me happy, and I strived to make them happy. I took them to school and to the park. I played with them as much as I could, and forgot my worries and stresses.

And then I met him. He was so different than my other patients, I couldn't place why. I began to look forward to his appointments, taking longer with him than the others just becuase I liked his company. He was different than others with his condition. I loved to simply observe him, and listen to him. He would have a one-sided conversation with himself, which was often interesting. We would usually have normal conversations, not ones where I ask him the same questions everytime, but ones where we talked about...just everyday things.

He was most interested in my family. He really enjoyed to hear about my boys. I wanted to introduce them to him, but I didn't know how any of them would react...so I didn't. His name was Valentin Nicolae, and I thought it suited him well. It was his eyes that made his face. They were a beautiful shade of velvet. He looked so innocent, I couldn't figure out why he needed such serious psychiatric help, like mine.

And then...I figured out why...


	5. Adria 1

**Note:** Okay, I'm so sorry for such a delay, everyone. I had finals for a whole week then I almost lost my girlfriend twice, there was soooo much drama going on both in my personal life and love life, this story was the last thing on my mind. Also, there was NO motivation. None. BUT here it is now, and I hope it's not too boring. I had hoped it would have been better than it is, but….it's not. This is simply the first real chapter, so please don't be too harsh. Please review and I hope you like it!

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The kitchen was softly lit with the noon sun seeping through the sheer cream curtains above the sink that was full from breakfast with a couple pans and a few plates. The table was cleared, saved for a few envelopes of mail, mostly bills or ads. Then at the thin counter partitioning the small kitchen with the moderately sized living room, Aleksander stood at the counter facing the den, coffee cup in hand and eyes focused on the In Touch magazine in front of him. As he flipped another page, sipping from his Santa mug even though it was the middle of spring, Valentin walked in. Well, more liked trudged in like a zombie, flopping himself onto a stool on the living room side of the bar Aleksander leaned on from the kitchen.

"And where have you been?" Aleksander asked, not bothering to look up from his magazine. "Ngghh….," Was the response. "I'm sorry, I speak don't crazy zombie." Aleks remarked, looking up from the article about Justin Beiber's new possible-almost-but-not-quite-could-be love interest. Valentin's head shot up instantly. "I'm NOT crazy!" he urgently defended. The Bulgarian threw up is hands in defense, coffee spilling slightly over the edge of the Santa mug, said Bulgarian looking behind in the direction of the fleeting drink. "Sorry!" Valentin groaned and rest his head in his hands, ignoring the apology. "Adria kept me up…" he said as he rubbed at his eyes. Aleksander groaned then himself, "Really? Come on Vali, be serious. Did you dream about him? Was that it?" Vali shook his head. "No. He was there, he kept prodding me and poking at me…he wanted me to play…" he mumbled with his face in his hands.

"Hm, so that's why I heard the piano going at 2:30 in the morning…" Aleks mumbled, taking a sip of his quickly cooling coffee. "You know, Vali, if you wanted to play your piano, or violin at 2:00 in the morning, then you can, you don't have to use Adria as an excuse." Valentin slowly looked up at his friend from his hands, irritation in his eyes. "An excuse? An...excuse? Really Aleksander?" The Bulgarian sighed, an almost irritated expression plastered onto his face as he lolled his head back. "Yes, Valentin. I'm getting real tired of your bull shit. Damnit, you are 23 years old, drop the whole 'imaginary friend thing', okay?" He demanded, putting both his hands on the edge of the counter and staring at Valentin, thoroughly unpleased. Valentin slammed his hands on the counter, jumping up and began to shout.

"He's not imaginary! He's as real as you or me! I'm not making it up! Aleks! You don't get it, he is evil and he won't leave me alone! He is the whole reason I was thrown into that Hell 13 years ago!" Aleksander scoffed and walked around himself in a tiny circle. "Valentin! Enough! You were thrown in there because you're insane!" He suddenly covered his mouth, not believing what he just said. Valentin was in just as much shock, tears pricking at his eyes. "How could you say that to me? Aleks….I'm not crazy! It's not my fault, it's Adria!" he screamed. "No, Valentin, I didn't mean it!" But it was too late, for Valentin had already slammed the front door shut and stormed down the walk.

Aleksander groaned, thumping his head against the wall.

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Valentin stormed out of the house and down the street to the only place he really could ever go without people staring at him and Adria. A good 20 minutes later, he arrived at large abandoned house. It was a faded white turned gray, the paint chipping from the wood siding. The breaking two story building was currently being swallowed by dead and dying vines, grass, and other vegetation. Valentin hopped up the creaking steps, gingerly pushed open the decaying door into the dusty and dead interior.

"What in the holy Hallelujah happened to you? You look like you were crying. Again." Adria said, startling the already upset Romanian. "I was…" Vali said, wiping his eyes and trudging into what was once the living room. Adria leaned against the door frame leading into the kitchen, arms and ankles crossed. Adria was a near physical copy of Valentin with few differences. Adria had more of a burgundy hair color than deep blond and yellow eyes. He wore a black, un-tucked dress shirt, and gray dress pants held up with bright multicolored suspenders complete with dress shoes and a black mini bowler hat tied with red ribbon, cocked at an angle on his head.

Adria scoffed and walked towards Valentin, who was still clad in his oversized red robe and peach pajamas with his purple cartoon bat slippers. "You…," he shook his head, "You disappoint me, Valentin…crying over something so stupid…"

"It's not stupid! You know I hate it when-"Valentin began to defend when his evil twin interrupted, "- When people call you crazy you insane little shit. Da, da, I'm well aware." Valentin growled, clenched his fists and lunged toward Adria. The double caught the blonde's wrists and quickly spun around to pin him to the wall. "Listen to me, you little fuck. I will call you anything I damn well please." He whispered dangerously. Valentin growled and spit in Adria's face. "I hate you. I wish I never met you. You were so different before. I hate you Adria, I hate. You." Adria slapped Valentin and raised his voice. "You need me! You can't live without me! I'm the one who keeps the monsters away without me, you are nothing. You are lucky I'm around!"

Valentin scoffed loudly and shook his head. "You ARE the monster, Adria! You are evil! Protecting me from the monsters? THAT'S BULL SHIT! YOU ARE THE MONSTER! No protector would hurt his charge the way you do!" By this point, Valentin began to cry, tears soaking and slithering their way down his pale cheeks. Slowly, Adria's grip loosened. He stepped back, and Valentin slid to the floor. "I…hate you Adria Rica…I've never hated anyone or anything more than I hate you." He said, avoiding eye contact and stared at the other's legs instead.

Adria looked down at the blond, and sighed. Kneeling down, he met Vali's gaze, and cupped his cheek. "I love you Valentin. It hurts me when you say you hate me…" Valentin closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Don't touch me." He ordered only to be slapped with the hand that caressed him gently. "You would die without me you piece of nothing." Valentin held his cheek, "I did live without you. Years without you. I was finally able to be a part of society. I had someone to love me! I was happy without you." He sneered in response.

It was Adria who scoffed this time. "Part of society? Someone who loved you? Happy? And you blame me for ruining that? Oh…you little shit." Adria stood up and reared his foot back, sending it flying into the shaking body beneath him.

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Valentin returned to Alexander's house four hours later, looking broken and destroyed. "Valentin? Oh my God! Where have you been? I've been worried about you! What the hell happened to you? You're covered in bruises and blood! Valentin answer me!" Aleksander rambled with worry as the Romanian walked through the door. Valentin ghosted passed him, ignoring every word spoken and opened the basement door. "Valentin!" Aleks called after him, but Valentin had already closed the door and walked silently down the finely polished wood steps. The basement was Valentin's home, set deep into the earth, resulting in a high ceiling. His large deep-set home was decorated with floor to ceiling bookshelves, stocked with books, a vintage Victorian couch and armchairs set some distance from the curled staircase. The floor was finely polished wood, much like the stairs, with large beautiful rugs covering spaces.

Just ahead of the staircase, two steps lead further into the extravagant place with more book-stocked shelves and a large grand piano smack in the center of the small area. A few paces next to the staircase was a small cellar in which held bottles upon bottles of hidden wine were stashed. Under the staircase, to the left, was Valentin's bedroom. Small and cramped with trinkets, tapestries, scarves, misplaced books, photos, letters pinned to walls with anything but pins or tape. Ribbons and wind chimes, paper lamps hung from the ceiling.

This was Valentin's sanctuary. The only place he could be without Adria. If you asked him, he would say it was because of the magic charms he placed around the room, but no one could really be certain. And this was the place Valentin escaped to after every beating received from the malignant devil that was Adria Rica. Vali slammed his bedroom door, locked it and flopped face first onto his bed, the empty bird cage near his bed swinging from the motion. Outside, Adria banged on the door, and Valentin ignored it like so many times before, drifting off to sleep.

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_**Next time in **_**Adria**_**:**_

"Appointment? What? I'm not sick!"

"You're going! And it's not for your physical health. Valentin, I don't want to hear any arguments, you're going if I have to drag you. And by, fucking God, I will do it."

"Hello Mr. Nicolae, I'm Dr. Tino Vainamoinen"

"Didn't work! I can't believe you'd do that! Aleksander! How could you?!"

"Vali! It never works the first time!"


	6. Adria 2

**Author's Note: **Hii! I'm really sorry for keeping you waiting so long…Ive been really sick, busy, and above all, lazy. I had been working on this for a while but you know…no one really motivates me to keep going….but I will for you guys, I hope you like it! Review please!

**P.S.** **I desperately need help with **_**Through Ruby Red Eyes**_** no one will help me and id like to get it done. So please, I'd really appreciate some and any help. Of course I'd credit you too. So just PM me or leave a review on that story with any suggestions. Thank you!**

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"A what? But why?" Valentin sit in the passenger seat of Aleksander's car, the both of them on their way to the local supermarket. "I've set up a psychiatric appointment-" Aleksander began to explain before Valentin interrupted. "Appointment? But I'm not sick! I don't want to go!"

"You're going! And it's not for your physical health. Valentin, I don't want to hear any arguments, you're going if I have to drag you. And by, fucking God, I will do it." Aleks growled through his teeth as he gripped the steering wheel harder. Valentin threw his hands up in defense. "Woah now! _Ce dracu a fost asta sfântă? _(What the holy fuck was that?) Where did that come from?" He cried in surprise. Aleksander sighed and loosened his grip on the wheel. "I told you. I'm tired of you blaming Adria for everything. Vali, Adria do-" Valentin quickly interrupted him, "Don't you dare say he doesn't exist Aleks! He does damnit! You just don't see him, he's always hiding from everyone else. He does it on purpose!"

Aleksander sighed and shook his head with a groan. "Valentin! He's not real and that's why I'm taking you to a psychiatrist End of conversation." Valentin huffed and crossed his arms like a child, looking out the window angrily.

* * *

"I still don't see why I have to go to a 'Psychiatrist…'" Valentin pouted, tossing a box of frosted animal cookies into the cart. "I'm not crazy, there's no point." Aleks sighed and put the box back, "There is a point. Vali…" Valentin replaced the box in the cart as they walked down the store aisle. "No, there isn't." Aleksander rolled his eyes and turned into another aisle. "Vali, listen," Aleks stopped in the middle of the aisle on the side near the canned corn, "I'm doing this for your own benefit." Vali scoffed, "My own benefit? Aleks, what-" Aleksander cut off his friend, "Valentin, you have to know there is something not right with your mental state!" he hissed quietly. "Adria is not real. He hides because he doesn't exist! Only you see him. I'm sick and tired of seeing you so miserable! Of seeing you bruised from, who the hell knows what and hearing people criticize you in public! Aren't you?"

Valentin was meek with his answer, "Well…da…"

"Then don't you want help?"

"_I _don't need help, it's _Adria_." Valentin hissed, pointing at himself first. "Vali, Adria…only you can see Adria. He's not hiding from anyone else. You…your mind has created Adria and he's only real to you. This need to stop. I want to get you help. Don't you want him gone?" Valentin didn't answer.

* * *

Valentin and Aleksander sit in the waiting room of Dr. Tino Väinämöinen. "Mr. Nicolae?" the secretary called from her desk, Valentin looking up, "Dr. V, will see you now." Valentin looked at Aleks, thoroughly irritated for having been bright here, the Bulgarian just nodding his head towards the office door. Valentin got up and walked to the door, leaving Aleksander to read months old People magazines in the waiting room. Only 30 minutes later, the door swung open and Valentin marched out, knocking over a potted plant purposely, Dr. Väinämöinen calling after him. "What happened?" Aleksander asked concerned, jumping up from his chair.

"Mr. Nicolae, please come back! Our session isn't done yet!" The psychiatrist called, rushing out of the office. Valentin stopped his march in front of Aleksander, "I'm done! I'm going home, I'm sitting in the car, I am NOT going back in there!" He hissed and burst through the door to the car. Aleksander walked up to the doctor, "What happened?" Dr. V rubbed the back of his neck, watching the door his patient had stormed through. "I don't understand….Mr. Nicolae…He needs stronger help…I-there's nothing I can do myself to help him…"

In the car, Valentin trembled, shouting to the other male in the back seat. "No, Adria! Aleks was trying to help me! I can't believe you did that!" Adria just laughed, sitting up from his reclining position in the back seat. "That's not my fault! He was trying to get rid of me! You don't want that, do you?" He leaned over the passenger seat, over Valentin's shaking shoulder. "Vali!" Aleksander opened the car door with a swift swing and hopped into the driver's seat. "What the hell happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it!"

"Val-"

"Nu! I DON'T want to TALK about it!" Aleksander sighed and shook his head, "Fine. Fine." And he started the car, driving back home in silence.

Once home, Valentin slammed the door into the bathroom with a shaky sigh, locking a pounding Adria out. He tossed his hat onto the counter and stripped down and turned on the shower. He stepped in and let the hot water run, drenching his hair when he felt arms wrap around his torso. "Vali~" Adria whispered into Valentin's ear. "I'm sorry~" he cooed, pulling Valentin close from behind. "A-Adria, please….go away.."

"You don't let me in your room anymore~" Adria said nuzzling Valentin's neck. Valentin shivered unpleasantly. "You know why I keep you out." He growled. Adria pulled him closer, licking the crook of his neck up. "That's not nice Vali~ You know I miss you~" Adria bent Valentin over quickly, the Romanian blonde slapping his hands onto the wet shower wall. "A-Adria, stop!" Adria slid his hands around Valentin's wet beautifully pale skin with a sadistic smirk. "No! Adria!" Vali screamed, and the bathroom door swung open. Both Adria's and Valentin's heads snapped in that direction.

"Vali?" Aleks asked worried, throwing open the shower curtain to reveal a sobbing, trembling Valentin.

* * *

"I think it's what you need…" Aleksander urged. "No! I don't want to go to another appointment! It didn't work the first time what makes you think it'll work this time?" Valentin protested, throwing his pen down onto the shelf of his piano, a long black streak staining the music sheet. "This is a different psychiatrist. A different level!" Valentin growled at this, "Fucking dammit! Aleks I said no!" Aleksander crossed his arms as he stared down his friend. "You're going. You need help!"

Velentin shot up from his seat on the piano bench, "I don't need help! Im perfectly fine! But if it'll get you to shut up and get off my back I'll go!" he shouted. Aleks simply stood there, used to Valentin's out bursts. "Good. We're going tomorrow." And with that, Aleksander left, going back up the curled stairs to the upper floor. Valentin growled and sat back down in a huff. "You're not going." Adria piped up from beside Valentin, arms crossed. "I have to. Aleks will just keep bothering me about it if I don't…" Vali murmured, picking up his pen once again. "No you're not. You know they just want to expose me, to get me away from you." Adria argued. "Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing…" Valentin remarked quietly, jotting down a few more musical notes. "Excuse me?" the doppelganger sneered. "I _said~_ _Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. _I'm sick and tired of you." Adria growled and snatched the pen from Valentin's hand. "Hey!" he shouted. Adria back-handed Valenin, "You could never live without me! You love me!" he shouted.

Valentin shot up again with fists clenched at his sides and shouted back, "I _hate _you! I don't want you in my life anymore Adria! You ruin everything! I absolutely hate you!" Adria had never looked so pissed. He looked so calm, and that was how Valentin knew he was not safe. Just as he was about to run into his room, Adria grabbed Valentin's arm roughly and yanked him back. "Where the fuck do you think you're going?!" He shouted. Valentin shook in Adria's grip. He should have kept his mouth shut….


	7. Adria 3

Valentin sat slumped over the kitchen table under a blanket he had brought up from his room as he waited for Aleks to finish making breakfast. "Vali, if you're tired, why don't you just go back to sleep, huh? I know things have been rough for you lately, and they only seem to be getting worse…why don't you go back to bed, hm?" the Bulgarian suggested, flipping a grilled cheese.

"No…I'm not so much tired. Besides, I want my soup…" was the muffled reply from under a bat printed fleece blanket.

"Is that all you want?" Aleks asked, turning slightly to look at the slumped figure of his charge.

"You can't have tomato soup without grilled cheese, Aleks. Everyone and their mother knows that…even I know that, and I've only been in this country a few years…"

Aleks smirked as he listened to the young Romanian. Ever since he brought him over to America, Valentin has always had a thing for grilled cheese. "Yes, you're right, how could I forget your favorite food?" he mused, turning back around and taking the sandwich off of the pan, onto a plate.

Vali scoffed, "Exactly! Who doesn't love the cheesy goodness that is a grilled cheese? And it's beautiful companion the tomato soup?"

Aleks laughed at this, sometimes he could see the old Valentin peeking through the mess of what he was now. It made him happy to see what Vali used to be, but then it reminded him that his particular beam of sunshine was being crushed by the darkness of whatever weighed the blonde down. Aleks sighed, thinking this, as he set the plate and bowl down on the table in front of Valentin.

"Come, on, sit up." He urged, trying to get the other to sit properly in order to eat. Valentin just whined. "Vali, you can't eat slumped over like that. Sit up."

Vali only pulled the blanket tighter around him. "No." was the only answer.

"Are you cold or something? Do you not feel good?" Aleks asked, a tad worried and pulled the blanket from Valentin's head. The way the blonde's hair frizzed up with static would have been comical if it hadn't been for the bruising and scratches to his face. "Valentin! What happened to you!?" Aleksander screeched, looking in concerned horror as a parent would. He quickly took Valentin's face in his hands, inspecting every inch as a protective mother.

The other squirmed in slight protest, eventually giving up and slouching his shoulders. "How did this happen?" Aleks asked again. "It's nothing Aleks. I just…I deserved this for what I said…"

Aleksander gaped in disbelief. Who would hurt his little Vali like this?! "Valentin who did ths?" he asked again.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Valentin replied meekly looking away. "Valentin Alin Nicolae. Who did this to you!?" Aleksander demanded seriously, crossing his arms. There was silence before the answer came. "Adria…"

There was a low growl that emanated from the Bulgarian. "A-Aleks?"

"Enough Valentin. Enough Godammit! For the last fucking time, I don't want to hear about Adria! You can't blame everything on someone who doesn't exist!" Aleksander screamed at the Romanian.

The said Romanian began to sprout tears that gathered in the corners of his eyes. "It's not my fault! You don't understand! You don't know what it's like!" he screamed back, jumping up from his chair.

"You know, I'm starting to think you're just faking this. Just for some attention. And that's why you won't let the psychiatrists evaluate you." Aleks admitted.

Valentin just stood there in shock. "I…I can't believe you just said that to me… maybe this is why Niko left."

Aleks gasped, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Maybe Niko left because you always thought he was a liar every time he told you something!"

That's when Aleksander slapped him. "Don't! Talk about Niko like that! He left because he had to, it wasn't his choice!"

Vali scoffed, "Well, maybe it was just a plus for him. To get the fuck away from you!" He yelled and stormed off downstairs cheek red and stinging from the slap.

Aleks, however still stood in the kitchen with his arms crossed, holding back tears. The two didn't see each other the rest of the day.

* * *

Over the course of the next few months, Valentin and Aleksander visited a number of psychiatrists, each recommending a higher up. It was with the recommendation of the latest psych that the patient visit a friend of his.

"A what? Hell no, I am NOT going to a place like that, I'm not crazy!" Vali protested.

" 'M not say'n y'are, sir, but if yer look'n fer some perfessn'al help, th'n I suggest y'go see him. "Replied the psychrtists as he scribbled down on his paper, his thick Swedish accent making him hard to understand.

Valentin groaned and flopped back into his chair.

"And, you're sure he could help?" Aleks asked, the begging for hope evident in his voice.

Dr. Oxenstierna nodded simply. "H're's the add'ress." He said, handing him a business card for the next psych.

Aleks sighed, taking it and looking at it. "Thank you, doctor…"

Dr. Oxenstierna simply nodded again and led them out of the office.

"I am NOT going there, Aleks." Valentin pouted.

"I don't care. You're going." Was the last statement from the Bulgarian about the matter.

* * *

"That is fucking bull shit! You are not fucking going, do you fucking understand me?" Adria growled, pinning Valentin to the wall by his throat.

"I-I have no say! He's taking me anyway! I tried to get him to agree to not to take me but-!" he tried explaining, gasping for air and trying to pry the other's hands off of him as he did.

"But fucking nothing!" Adria screamed, slamming his victim against the wall. "I wont let them take me away from you. You won't make it without me."

Valentin gasped for air as he swung his feet, trying to touch the ground.

Adria grinned evily and tossed the defenseless Romanian to the floor grinning at the loud thunk as the other hit the floor.

Valentin coughed and swallowed gulps of air while he rubbed his throat. "It's nothing I can help Adria! Please! He doesn't even believe you exist! Why can't we just leave it at that!?" he pleaded.

Adria only shook his head as he strolled over to his victim, "Now see, that won't do, Vali. Because the doctors will take me away from you. So…I can't let you go."

Valentin panicked and tried to scoot away from Adria, failing when the other grabbed his ankles and pulled him back. He straddled him just as the blonde flipped over and swung, the book in his hand meeting with the blonde's face in a horrifying smack.

Again and again the book met with Valentin's head. Valentin tried to resist, but soon it just became too much and he fell unconscious. Adria didn't stop, however and swung the book, blood splattering.

Back upstairs, Aleks lay in bed, regretting the words he had been saying to his charge lately when he heard faint thumping coming from downstairs. Getting up, he made his way downstairs, horrified to see Valentin on the ground unconscious, a pool of blood seeping through the beautiful Persian rug. "Shit!" Aleks ran to the kitchen and dialed 911 before rushing back downstairs to Valentin.


	8. Adria 4

**Author's Note:** Hio! I'm really sorry that this chapter is so late guys. I, personally, have been REALLY busy with school and shit. I was planning on working on this is my editor during spring break, but i was way too busy working on a report for my AP Human Geography class...Anyways, I hope you guys like this chapter! Enjoy!

**Editors Note**: Hallo und Gutentag! So you guys got to really see into a bit of Niko this time i hope you like him. Im sorry if this chapter has some flow problems with it i tried to edit it around the best i could but im not used to co writing (Though i do enjoy it) So anyway thank you for taking the time to read. Please review and like. Danke und Gute Nacht!

* * *

"Susan!" Gilbert called as he strode down the hall to one of the nurses he was most familiar with. Susan looked up from the file in her hands and smiled at the doctor. "Dr. Beilschmidt! Good morning." She greeted with a red lipped smile.

"Und Guten Morgen to you! Do you have anything for me today?" Gilbert asked almost eagerly, hands clasped behind his back. Susan looked back down at the file she held and closed the manilla cover. "Well...I do have this," she indicated to the file, "but I don't think you'd want him."

Gilbert tilted his head in a confusion. "Why not?" Susan shrugged and looked elsewhere and sighed. "Well...," she began, not wanting to sound rude as she talked about the patient, "The patient has...a history...None of the other doctors will take him. You're the only one left." Gilbert shrugged and smiled with a slight shake of his head, "Then why not give him to me? I'll take him." he offered. Susan handed him the file reluctantly and waited for the same reaction the other doctors gave.

"My...you weren't kidding..." he said as he read through the papers splashed with red pen. Red marked the margins and underlined words and sentences, almost as if they were warning the next doctor of what was to come.

Gilbert's eyebrows did shoot up, but his reaction wasn't the same as others. "So...what do you think?" Susan asked, eager to hear the reply. Gil nodded and closed the file, "Sounds good. I'll work on him, see what I can do," he grinned then, "this should be fun."

* * *

Niko sat in a chair in the psych ward. It had whitewashed walls and one windows with bars on it that let in a little natural light and fresh air. As well there was a small bed and desk in the corner against the wall. On the desk were two close books, a large yellow one labeled 'Engleski' and a much smaller black book with no writing. There were also two chairs in the room, one being a small black swivel chair which belonged to the doctors who came to visit and the current one that Niko was strapped to. Across his hands were two leather straps that connected him to the chair. The orderlies did that to him every time a doctor wanted to talk to him, he had gotten used to it after a while. He stared unblinking with hazel eyes at the door, curious to see who they would send next.

"Hallo Herr Alovic, I'm Doctor Beilschmidt" Gilbert greeted his patient with smile as he entered the room with his file and clipboard under his arm. He always tried to be friendly to his patients. It helped ease the patient's nerves usually and kept them in a calm state. Most of the time. Gilbert sat down in the swivel chair and slid his way closer to Niko. He was a little deterred by the poker faced silence. Clearing his throat, Gilbert continued on, opening the manilla file. "So! I understand you've been through quite a few of these little meetings, hm?" he asked looking back up at Niko.

"Da." Was the only response that Gilbert got. The Serb's voice was monotone though heavily accented. He kept his eyes staring into the ruby red albino's. He was reading the doctor,seeing if he was like the others. If he would get unnerved and leave the Serb alone. In all honesty NIko wasn't sure if he wanted that or not. Perhaps he did want someone who would listen? Or did he just want to wallow in his misery like he had done for years? He didn't even know himself anymore.

Gilbert nodded, "Alright, alright...," he looked back into the file then closed it. "I'm going to tell you something, Herr Alovic. I don't like to see people in your condition be thrown to the side because someone's afraid. I'm going to try, with your help, to help you." he explained, plopping the file onto the white tiled floor and crossed his arms over his chest, one leg over the other. "Tell me what's on your mind. Tell me what you've been through, seen, done. Just talk to me." he said almost nonchalantly.

"Isn't all you need to know about me in there?" Niko asked surprised that the other had stayed even this long. This new Doctor he seemed nice, but was it all an act? The Serb wondered as he looked at his restraints and tugged at them a bit.

"The facts about you are in there. But, it doesn't tell me what your experiences are. Those papers are written by people who only hear what they want to. They aren't your thought, your words. So, I'd like to hear the real story, from the one person who lived it. Please then, tell me your story." Gilbert urged with a nod of his head.

Niko then sighed to himself. It was the first 'emotional' response he had given the entire interview. Looking back at the Doctor the Serb shrugged staring once more on the leather straps. "I grew up in what used to be Yugoslavia on the Eastern Border, I was a soldier in the war and I did what was asked of me." he then fell silent again

Gilbert replied with a nod, as he listened intently. He shifted in his seat to a more comfortable position. "Is it because of the war then that twisted your mind?" He asked. "It's not unusual for that to happen. It's more common than you would think." he explained, again shifting, "But, I feel like there might be more to this...do continue."

"I don't know... i did what was asked of me... i did what i was told... what i was told..."Niko, his voice was blank and emotionless almost like it was dead. Meanwhile hiis eyes wandered a bit around the room, as well he struggled against the wrist straps with greater force now. So much that the chair had started to move. "I did what i was told to do...only what i was told to do...nothing more..."

Gilbert noticed the struggle and spoke up, "If you promise not to be too rash, and only to talk to me, I can loosen the straps for you." he offered, glancing at two of the muscled staff by the door. Being a doctor, he had more power, but couldn't always demand the security to keep from holdinging back the patient. However, being such a smooth talker as he always was, he was usually able to talk them into a calm stupor before such occurrences could arise.

At once the Serb and the two orderlies eyes all jumped to Gilbert. The orderlies were now on edge. Last time Niko had gotten let out he almost choked a doctor to death another time he sent one to the hospital for 3 months!

Niko himself on the other hand only stared at Gilbert. His expression gave nothing away. But his hazel eyes had a pleading and begging that only a few people could see and read out of the Serbs emotionless could face.

Gilbert then rose and stepped closer to Niko, "If you can promise me that, I believe i can trust you to stay in you seat." he said, moving his hands to one of the straps. "I find it's much easier to talk if we are both comfortable." He said, looking into his patient's eyes to search for any answers. Seeing what he was looking for, Gilbert released the straps and quickly ordered the orderlies to keep off with a curt pointing gesture. "The lips can say what they want, but it's the eyes that give the truth. I didn't have to learn that in school to figure out how to help others." he smirked and sat back down. "Now please, Herr, do continue." he urged with a sweep of his hand.

Grabbing his wrist he looked down at them and rubbed at the red marks that had imprinted upon them. After a few moments he looked back at Gilbert and looked straight at the other."Where do you want me to start?"


	9. Adria 5

Adria 5

"Like I said I was a soldier, I fought for first Yugoslavia then for Srpska in the Bosnian Civil war... I know the media here liked to talk about all we did over there... it was all true...i helped do those things..."

_Nko walked in line in file with the other men from his village. All of them had been JNA (Yugoslav People's Army) but after Yugoslavia pulled out of the war they signed up for the militias of Srpska. He had been here for a year now that it was 1994. They had been fighting the Croatians and the Bosnian militias. It wasn't much different from when they were the JNA except they had different commanders who... who followed their own set of rules..._

_It was in the winter of that year when he killed his first unarmed man. They had been ordered to to be on a firing squad. Apparently the supposed criminal had been helping the Bosnians find the Serbian Snipers in Sarajevo. He originally resisted with a vocal argument but he quickly changed his mind when his comrades decided to do it. So he shot the man, knowing exactly where the bullet went and when. But what he didn't know was that this one act would lead him down a darker and bloody path._

_He was continuously on firing squads, the majority weren't planned. They would grab a number of men form a town or village and then they would be ordered to shoot them and they did. But soon it wasn't just men, it then became women, and even children. They had always been told that they were either the insurgents or helping them but they knew these people did nothing. They were just trying to survive just like he was._

_Then he got stationed in one of the camps. Despite what it was called it was a concentration camp for the bosnian muslims. He could remember how at day when he was on duty he could see them, the bosnians, and their starved bodies just staring. Skeletons of themselves. He could remember the crying of the children sick from hunger and the mothers who could not feed them. But at night it was the worst. Crying became screaming as women were raped repeatedly. It was a practice that had been developed. Rape the women until they were pregnant and they and their families would be taken out of the war effort so they could stay home and support them. As well the child that was born would be a Serbian. At least that was the logic behind it. It was a terrible place and he stayed almost half a year yet it still feels like a lifetime._

After a while the Serb stopped telling his stories. He sat now looking down at his hands. They were trembling a bit as he remembered all of this. All that he had seen and done. It still haunted him to this day.

Gilbert sat silently, listening to every word poured from the Serbian in front of him. There was silence for a moment as the mood and words soaked into the air around them. Then Gilbert spoke, "I could never imagine the horrors that you have had to face, Herr, nor will I begin to tell you I understand. I will not pity you, because I don't believe that is what you are looking for but relief of these tragedies. Indeed war is a terrible and unnecessary thing. I greatly appreciate you sharing this with me. I shall have you know it only destroys a person to keep such injustices locked away on one's mind." The psychiatrist stood up and picked up the folder he had tossed on the ground earlier. "If you would lend me some time, I would like to evaluate this, you, and try to see what it is I can do to help your mental state. If you wouldn't mind, Herr?"

Gilbert bent over and picked up his pen, "And so, in return for your cooperation, I'm going to allow you some time out of that stuffy room of yours and into the general population. If you behave yourself like you did here, I think you just might secure yourself a space there." he said clicking his pen a few times and looked the other directly in the eye. "Are we in agreeance?"

Niko simply looked up at Gilbert and nodded before looking back down and staring quietly at his hands once more lost in his memories that would never stop haunting him. Gilbert offered him a hand to help him up and out of the chair, glaring at the orderlies to stay put.

Niko briefly looked up before shaking his head no and looking back down. He just wanted to be alone right now...he needed to be alone. Gilbert nodded in understanding and walked out of the room, taking the orderlies with him and headed to his office to write down all he had heard. This case was definitely not going to be an easy one. But he wasn't going to give up like other doctors did.

* * *

_Meanwhile_

Aleks rushed down the stairs, stumbling when he seen the dark blood soaking the persian rug below Valentin's head. Stricken with panic, he tripped his way down the rest of the stairs and knelt by his charge's side. With shaking hands, he tried to shake the Romanian awake, but to no avail. He was already unconscious, the book near the blonde's hand drenched with blood and cover cracked due to the blows.

"Fuck! Valentin!" Aleks growled and picked up the other male, rushing him back up the stairs and quickly called an ambulance. The paramedics wasted no time in getting Valentin into the emergency room, barring Aleksander from even peering into the double door windows.

The Bulgarian spent the better part of eight hours sitting or pacing in the waiting room. At the end of a worrisome eternity, the doctor appeared from the doors, blood on his scrubs and approached Aleksander. "Are you the one who came in with the blonde boy?" he asked. Aleks nodded rapidly, "Is he alright? What did you do?" he asked in panic. The doctor held up his hands in a calming gesture and sat Aleks down, seating himself as well.

"He's going to be alright. Can you tell me what happened?" The doctor said. "I-I-I don't know! I don't know! I heard something downstairs and when I went down there...he was bleeding so much..." Aleks tried to explain. The doctor nodded, "Well...he has a concussion, and no major brain damage. He may be unconscious for a while, but I think he will pull through." Aleks breathed a sigh of relief and sat back in his chair. "When can I see him?" he asked, looking over at the doctor. "Soon. Give it a good half hour and I think everything will be in order." The Bulgarian nodded and slouched in his chair as the doctor got up and left back through the double doors.

* * *

It had been a good week since the _"incident'"_ and Valentin sat in bed watching SpongeBob on the television in his hospital room. Aleks was sitting next to him, trying to figure out how to word his request. Valentin laughed. "Vali..." Aleks began. Valentin reluctantly tore his attention from the T.V. and looked at his friend. "Da?" Aleks took a breath, "I think you should be evaluated." he said before he lost his will.

Vali looked at him confused, bandaged head tilted slightly. "What do you mean?"

"I mean..psychologically." Valentin was silent for a moment and looked back to the show, "No." he replied curtly. "Valentin-"

"No! No Aleks! You think I'm crazy don't you? You think I did this to myself?" Vali pointed to his head. Aleksander shook his head, "I think you don't think you did this to yourself. I think you believe it was Adria." he explained. "It WAS Adria! He's the one who needs to be evaluated!" the Romanian argued.

Aleks groaned, "No Valentin. Please. Things have gotten serious. You're in the hospital! I want to know what really is going on with you, inside your head. Please do this. For me, please?" Valentin huffed and groaned. "Fine. I'll fucking do it. But after this, you gotta lay off of me. Okay?" he ordered. Aleks nodded, happy that Vali finally agreed. "That's great because, I got the psychiatrist here. It was the one you were recommended to. He was willing to come down and see you."

Valentin's head snapped in his friend's direction, "What?!" Aleks jumped up and went to get the doctor. Vali growled and turned his attention once again back to Spongebob's antics. "Vali," Aleks said, turning off the T.V., "this is you're new psych, Dr. Beilschmidt." Valentin turned his head to see said psych. "Oh boy, what joy." he said sarcastically. Another session. He knew just how well it would, just like the others, this wouldn't last twenty minutes...


	10. Adria 6

Gilbert smiled at his new patient and sat in the chair next to the bed. "Hallo, Herr Nicolae, it's nice to meet you." he offered his hand for the other to shake. Valentin only sat with a glare, his arms crossed. Gilbert drew his hand back and smiled again, awkwardly this time. "Can we just get this over with? Spongebob is only on for another hour and I'd like to catch the new episode." Valentin said turning his head back to the blank screen of the television. Gil smirked and sat back, crossing his own arms over his chest. He had encountered this many times before, it's just like dealing with a teenager.

"Right, then we'll make this as quick as possible. So, what landed you in here?" the psychiatrist asked casually. Valentin sighed, "It was...this guy. Adria. He's always beating me up..." This intrigued the doctor. "Who's Adria?" Vali sighed again, "If I tell you...don't think I'm crazy...because Aleks thinks I'm crazy...the other doctors think I'm crazy, but I'm not! I'm perfectly sane!" he argued, throwing his arms out in front of him in exasperation.

Gilbert smirked. _How cute..._ he thought. "I'm not here to determine whether or not you're insane, Herr Nicolae." Vali raised an eyebrow, "Then what are you here for..?" he asked warily. "I'm just here to get a peek into your mind's inner workings. Your friend Aleksander tells me that you are having problems with someone named Adria, whom you've also mentioned earlier." Gilbert explained, putting one leg over the other. Valentin slumped back onto the pillows and picked at his fingernails. "Adria...is this person who...is pure evil..."

"What kind of relationship do you have with Ardria?"

"It's kind of like, no it is an abusive one. He physically and verbally and emotionally abuses me...constantly. He tried to rape me in the shower...Aleks came in before he could though...and...he did this to me..." Valentin pointed to his bandaged head, refusing to make eye contact and instead stared into his lap. Gilbert's eyebrows shot up as he listened to this. Adria didn't sound like something that wasn't real , but Gilbert had seen his fair share of mental illnesses that included figures created by the demented mind.

The psychiatrist sighed, "Adria doesn't sound as imaginary as your friend had insisted.."

"Because...he's real." Valentin insisted. He shifted his position to better look at his guest. "Look...Adria has been apart of my life since i was a kid. He's as real as you and me. I don't get why Aleks ignores the fact that he is real and says he's not. Maybe Adria threatened him, I wouldn't be surprised, but please believe me...Adria is real. He's dangerous and I'm afraid he's going to kill me..."

There was silence for an uncomfortable amount of time as the two simply looked at each other. Valentin stared into the psychiatrist's eyes, pleading with his own for the doctor to understand. Gilbert stood up, "I do believe that Adria is real, in a sense that he harms you. I'm afraid however, that we are going to have to transport you to a different hospital, so that I may better help you. Is that okay with you Herr?" Valentin sat a moment, thinking then nodded, "Da, that's alright...I'd like as much help to get away from him as possible. Thank you, Doctor..." he hesitated, not remembering the doctor's name. "Beilschmidt. Doktor Gilbert Beilschmidt." he smiled and once more held out his hand. Valentin hesitated and took his hand this time, shaking it. "I'll be seeing you soon, Herr Nicolae." Gil smiled once more and walked out of the room to speak with Aleksander.

"Aleksander?" The Bulgarian looked up hearing his name, "Yes?"

"He's...a lot more..ill than I had anticipated. I would like to transport him as soon as possible to St. Luciano's." Aleksander looked confused at this at first. "Is that another hospital?" Gilbert smirked, "Well, it is a hospital. But it is a mental institution. I think he would do better there, and he would get better help for his mental state. There I can better evaluate him; help him." Aleksander nodded in understanding. "Well...I think that would be best. Valentin needs all the help he can get, and if it means going to a mental institution...then I suppose it would be the best decision for him."

Gilbert nodded and gave Aleks his business card and left for home.

* * *

Gilbert arrived home after picking up his children from kindergarden. The three of them burst through the door, both boys running into the house as Gilbert staggered in and dropped his bag full of files and papers by the couch near the door. He smiled as he watched his children run down the hall into their rooms. He checked his watch and realized that it was already nearly dinner time and he hadn't even thought of anything to make.

Looks like macaroni and cheese with hot dog slices it was. As Gilbert walked into the small, open kitchen, he routinely pushed the button on his answering machine to start spilling out any missed calls. As the first message began, Gilbert rolled up his sleeves and took a pot that hung from the wall.

"_Gilbert, It's me, Madelin. Listen, I know this weekend isn't my weekend, but I want the boys. My brother made something that they would absolutely love. Besides, I'm going somewhere with a date next weekend and can't be bothered. So I'm taking them tomorrow, alright? Bye." _

Gilbert glared at the answering machine. How could she do that? No, he wasn't going to let her. He set the pot down on the stove and picked up the house phone, dialing his ex wife's number. "Hallo, Maddie.." he greeted with a sweetly covered bitter growl. "What?" she snapped on the other line. "You can't take the boys this week." Gil stated in a definite tone as he watched the water in the pot boil, leaning back on the counter. "Excuse me?" Madeline scoffed. "I said, you can't take the boy's this weekend. It isn't your week. And the court doesn't allow it."

Gilbert Beilschmidt was a protective father,a trait that he and his brother both got from their father. He wouldn't even let his own ex wife take them if it wasn't her turn. And it wasn't, so he wasn't going to allow it. Markus and Fritz were the only things Gilbert had left. "I'm taking them Gilbert." Madeline stated herself. Gilbert growled, "No, you aren't. It isn't your week. I was going to take them to the carnival tomorrow. Your dumkopft of a brother's contraption can wait till next weekend."

"You can take them to the carnival next weekend." Madeline argued. "The carnival is only this weekend! It's the only time I have off this month!" He could hear the way she rolled her eyes as she huffed over the other end.

"I really don't care Gilbert. You barely spend time with them. I could give them all my time. Unlike you." Madeline spat sourly at her ex husband. Gilbert sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Why...why Maddie? I just...I don't get what happened to us...I did everything I could for you..." Gilbert confessed meekly. He missed the companionship they used to have. He missed the fact they were a family only to be broken up by Madeline's ignorant brother. "You're a psychiatrist, why can't you figure it out? You're just not fit for a family Gilbert. You're too laid-back, too easy going, too lazy, you're a drunk and just absolutely pathetic...I didn't want to deal with it anymore..." she replied.

"That isn't true! You're brother has beaten that into your head! He has from the very beginning. You can't still believe him, you know I've gotten my shit together when we had a family. I'm not like that anymore, I'm trying to support our children." Gilbert tried to explain as the water boiled over the pot. He quickly shut it off and moved the pot off the burner. There was silence between the two of them for a long time before Madeline spoke, "I just don't...don't want to believe you. I'll be picking the boys up tomorrow." With that Madeline hung up the phone. Gilbert just sighed and once and rubbed his hand over his face.

"Vati? Is everything alright?" asked the silver headed mirror image of Gilbert who sat in front him at the bar in front of the stove. Gilbert looked up and quickly plastered on a smile, "Ja." he poured the box of dry macaroni into the pot and let it sit as it boiled. "Your Mutter wants to take you both out this weekend..." he mumbled to himself staring into the boiling pot, watching the noodles swim about.

"But we were there last week were supposed to be with you now..." Despite his young age, Markus was extremely mature and a very intelligent. He picked up on things very easy, and knew how stressed and tired his father was even if he did not know why. Gilbert gave a weak smile, he was so proud that his son could be so smart. "Ja...I know...that's what I told her. She said your Uncle Alfred made you and Fritz something. I told her it could wait because I was going to take you and your brother to the carnival tomorrow."

Markus smiled at this. He loved going out with his father and brother they always had fun and it seemed to be one of the few times that his father would smile. "I would like that." the silver-haired child said with a smile. Gil smiled fully at this, "I'll tell you what. Before your mother gets here, we'll sneak out, go get some breakfast and spend all day at the carnival. How does that sound?" he urged, pouring the package of processed cheese into the now drained pot and mixed it together.

Markus's ruby red eyes lit up at that. " Can I tell, Fritz?" he asked with a bit of an excited tone in his voice. His father smiled. "Ja, you can go tell him. But make sure to tell him not to tell anyone else, because then your mother will find out. And...well we don't really need Uncle Alfred hating Vati anymore than he already does." Gilbert smirked and gestured for his son to go and tell his brother. "Wash up too, the both of you! It's time for dinner!"

* * *

It was monday. Madelin had called an hour after Gilbert and the boys left and bitched the psychiatrist out for a good twenty straight minutes until he hung up and sat in the roller coaster with his sons. It was a good weekend all in all. He was able to ignore his former wife the duration of that time. A first for him. But now it was back to the hospital and back to work. That Romanian patient would be arriving after noon and right now Gil had an appointment with that Serbian fellow...he wondered how it would go...

"So, Herr Alovic, how have been since our last meeting?" Gilbert asked as he sat down in the uncomfortable swivel chair in front of his patient. The said Serbian simply shrugged his shoulders staying quiet like he did the majority of the time. Though this time he did have his small black book in his lap. He had been looking at it before the Doctor had come in. Finding the most comfortable position available, Gilbert noticed the notebook the other had. "What have you got there?" he asked, more out of curiosity than professionalism.

Niko,looked down for a moment before grabbing the small book and handing it over to the Doctor.

The book was a small picture book, each one was pictures of the Alovic family. The pictures ranged from Christmas time when all eight of the siblings and their parents were gathered, to the birth of a new baby, to pictures of what was obviously Niko in his Uniform and so on and on. The last picture was different though it was of Niko as a boy with his two foreign Friends from Bulgaria, and Romania that he grew up with. But in all of the pictures the Serb appeared very different in almost every one he seemed to a have grin on his face and in various pictures he could be seen harassing and loving his siblings, just being a happy and loving brother and person. So very different from the shell that sat in front of Gilbert now.

Gilbert flipped through the album and studied each picture. Every so often he would glimpse up at the other man who sat in front of him, comparing what he saw in the photos to what he saw in the chair in front of him. They were indeed so different. Form what he had been told so far...it was easy to understand why. "Are these people your family?" Gilbert asked flipping to the next

picture and studying the emotions that were captured then.

"Da, six younger brothers, and two younger sisters." Niko answered the German's question. Gilbert nodded flipping to another photo. "Could you tell me about them?" he asked curiously.

"We were close but divided, My mother was a catholic my father Serbian Orthodox...My second and fourth brothers are Catholic, the rest are Serbian Orthodox except for my third brother and both my sisters who converted to Islam..." the Serb stated monotonously describing one of the main arguments amongst the Alovic family.

Gilbert nodded as he listened, finally reaching the last of the photographs. He tilted his one of the boys in the photo looking familiar. However, he wasn't able to place it and he handed the album back to his patient. "Religion sounds like a huge divide in your family." he said, clasping his hands behind his head, sitting back in a casual manner.

Niko took the book and stood up, which gained him attentive looks from the orderlies in the process as he walked over to the small table beside his bed. Placing the book ontop of his English book he then walked back to his chair and looked back at Gilbert for a brief moment before nodding his head. Gilbert watched him as he did this. "You dont have to speak with me if you aren't in the mood today, Herr Alovic. I mostly came in here to tell you that you will be let out into the common area, with the general population today. Everyday you cooperate earns you a day in general population. As a reward, a thank you." he said stretching his arms high above his head.

Niko nodded his head in understanding. Looking up brown eyes searched Ruby red ones for somthing else." Perhaps you need to talk?" the Serb suggested.


	11. Adria 7

Valentin sat in the car as Aleks pulled into the institution parking lot. It wasn't very big, but then again, there weren't many people coming in and out either. "Where are we...?" Vali asked as he looked out the window. "We're at the hospital..." Aleksander replied hating the fact that he had to lie to his charge just to get him here. "The parking lot is a little small for a hospital..." Vali said, eyeing the lot, expensive looking cars parked here and there among less expensive ones.

"Well, it's a different kind of hospital, Vali." Aleks sighed feeling like he was trying to convince a little child not to worry of something horrible. Aleksander got out of the car and started to walk into the building, Valentin not far behind. "Hello, I've set up an appointment with a Dr. Beilschmidt, is he in?" the Bulgarian asked once reaching the receptionist's desk, drumming his fingers on the surface. "One moment please." she replied and picked up the phone receiver, calling the doctor.

Within a few moments, Gilbert walked through the double doors into the lobby. "Ah, hallo. I'm glad to see you made it here okay." he smiled, clapping his hands together as if he were satisfied with their arrival. "Why don't we go ahead and go into my office?" Gilbert offered with a sweeping gesture to another door on the opposite side of the secretary's desk. Aleks nodded, going along with the doctor, Valentin just following along like an obedient puppy. "So, doctor, what is it you're gonna do to help me?" Vali asked as he looked around the hallway that lead to Gilbert's office.

"I'm going to do what I do best. Don't worry, you're in good hands now, Herr Nicolae." Gilbert smiled as he opened the door to his office, the two other males filing in. "Alright, so, Herr Balakov, are you sure you're ready to let go and do this?" the doctor asked Aleksander, taking a small stack of papers and a pen in his hand. Aleks nodded. "It's what will help him." Valentin eyed his friend and then the doctor, "What are you two talking about...? What's going on?" he asked wearily. Aleksander sat his charge down, "Valentin...I lied to you...this isn't a normal physical health hospital. It's a mental institution."

Valentin's heart dropped. "What...? But...no...no, why, Aleks?" He almost couldn't get it out, his chest felt heavy. "Why would you do this to me?" he repeated with tears in his eyes. "I'm not crazy!" Valentin shot up from the leather chair, fists clenched at his sides. "I'm not crazy!" he shouted loudly. "Why?! Why can't anyone believe me...?" at this point, Valentin started to sob, sinking to his knees in front of his friend. Aleksander knelt down beside him and pulled him into a hug. "You need help Valentin...Dr. Beilschmidt will help you..." he tried to soothe.

"This can't be happening...this can't be happening..." Valentin sobbed into Aleksander's shoulder. "Not again...not again please not again!" the Romanian begged and pleaded, terrified that his experiences during his time in the Romanian institution were about to repeat themselves. He'd rather live with Adria the way his already did than to go back to that...not that it would be too much of a difference, but enough of one that Valentin would jump at the option. "Listen Valentin," Gilbert stepped in, "I'm not sure what it is you've already experienced, but this is not a bad place. I practically run it, I know what I'm doing. I don't hurt my patients, I only do what I can to help them so that they can at least live a decent life."

Vali only shook his head furiously, "No! You don't understand! You weren't there! Neither of you were there! If I'm crazy at all it's their fault! Their fault not mine! Adria is real!" he shouted through tears. Gilbert decided that there was no use in waiting,, "Adria is a hallucination created by your mind Valentin. He is not real-"

"He is!" Valentin screamed, interrupting the doctor. "You have schizophrenia!" Gilbert shouted back, losing his professionalism. Everything was quiet, even Valentin's sobbing and whimpers ceased. "Wh-what...?" he asked in nothing above a whisper. Gilbert took a breath to collect himself and begun again. "You have schizophrenia, Valentin. Herr Nicolae, the reason you've been seeing Adria is because you have a serious case of schizophrenia." Valentin sniffled loudly, "B-but the bruises...the things he's done to me...he sent me to the hospital!" he argued, wiping his nose on this sleeve. "Those things...you've done to yourself. Your mind was taken over by Adria at those moments so you committed those acts upon yourself."

Valentin was quiet for a moment. "I don't believe you..." he said, looking down at the dark carpet. Valentin stood up, wiping his eyes. "I'm going home." was all he said and headed to the door. "Herr Nicolae..." Gil tried. Valentin shot him the deadliest glare he's ever seen in all of his years of work, the red eyes only making the look seem more murderous and insane. Gilbert slipped his hand under his desk and pressed a button. As Valentin turned back to the door, an orderly opened it and stuck him with a needle. Vali only had time to look at his arm in surprised confusion before he collapsed to the ground and passed out.

Gilbert hated doing that to his patients, but in this case he felt that if he didn't, Valentin might have done something he couldn't control. The doctor sighed and rubbed his forehead. Aleksander stood up and sniffled, turning back to the doctor. "It was for his own good." Gilbert explained. Aleks only nodded and reached for the pen and papers to sign his last friend over to the doctor and the institution.

* * *

When Valentin woke up he was no longer in Dr. Beilschmidt's office, but in a, tan and brown room. The colors were warm but the walls were plain. There was a chair in the corner, a simple wooden one with a green plaid cushion tied to it and a neatly made bed, the one in which Valentin was laying was the only other furniture in the room. Valentin sat up, head swimming. "What just happened...where am I?" he asked himself, once again looking around the bare room.

There was a knock at the door and Dr. Gilbert Beilschmidt walked in. "I see you're awake." Valentin glared at him, "Where am I?" he growled. Gilbert stood at the foot of the bed, placing his hands on the polished wooden frame, "You're in your own personal room here at the institution." Valentin scoffed, "What?! Why am I still here?!" he demanded, getting louder with every word. "Because, you need help or you will destroy yourself." Gil replied calmly, looking at his new patient with a stern expression. "I'm not on drugs, Beilschmidt." was the retort. "Nein, but what a mind like yours can do may as well be a drug within itself in the sense that it can destroy you just as quickly if you don't do something or get to the root of the problem." he explained.

The Romanian growled again, "So what?You're just gonna give me some pills and keep me locked in here? That's only deluding what's really there, delaying the inevitability that I will eventually go insane and Adria will still be here." Gilbert sighed at this, "I understand that you feel we're wrong, but there's something that _you_ have to understand. I am trying to help you, your friend Aleksander too. It isn't easy accepting and illness, but it's there. So let me just show you that I can help you. I can make Adria change. If even by a little bit."

The blonde sat there as he listened. Maybe the doctor was right. All the others failed to do anything for him. What's he got to lose to try another? Valentin sat there a moment before saying, "I'm hungry. Is it lunch?" Gilbert smirked at this, taking it as acceptance of the offer of help and nodded. "Ja. That's what I came in here for. Come on, I'll take you to the lunchroom." Valentin got up and followed him to the cafeteria.

* * *

Niko had been allowed to enter the common areas for around a week now. At first the other patients would flinch away from him and avoid him and the Orderlies would keep an eye on him. But this did not bother the Serb. He just went about his day. Looking out the windows at the birds, eating his food, and sitting by was content and happy even if all the people saw was a blank face.

Meanwhile, Gilbert and Valentin chatted on their way to the cafeteria. Well, more like Gilbert tried to goad Valentin into a conversation, the other only mumbling irritated responses or not responding at all. As they neared the lunchroom, Gilbert's head snapped in the direction of the light blue double doors. Valentin only looked up curiously. Pushing open the doors, the doctor's eyes widened when he saw the scene of a violent fight before his eyes. Valentin's own ruby red looking holes widened when he recognized who it was. It was Niko.

How it started was fast and unpredictable. Niko had been sitting at the window when all of a sudden he heard what appeared to had been gunfire from the News station that was turned on by one of the patients who was watching TV. He then stood up and started to walk towards when he was bumped into and just lost it jumping on the guy.

Now he sat on top of the other patient, wailing on the man. His military training and everything going in to it. He wasn't there any more. He was back in Bosnia fighting for his life as he gripped the man's throat. The orderlies that jumped onto him were just more soldiers in his eyes and he kept fighting more like a violent animal than a human being all the time the tv gunfire getting louder and louder in his head,matching imaginary screams and all the horrors that plagued his nightmares.

Gilbert instantly rushed over to help the orderlies and to try to get Niko to stop. He yanked the television cord from the wall and tried to pull the patient from the other. "Niko! Niko! Enough!" he shouted. Gilbert knew he wouldn't respond to that so he tried to play along with what he believed Niko was seeing in his head. "Soldier! That's enough he's gone!" Gilbert screamed, the other patient having fallen unconscious from the many ferocious blows.

.At the command Niko slowed and then stopped. He then started breathing heavily as he looked around. The war went away before his eyes and all he could see was the blood that covered his hands. Looking around his eyes jumped from man to man going to Gilberts, and the brown eyes that were normally stone and blank were filled with fear and scarred as the Serbian shook from his feet to his hands.

Gilbert let go of Niko and ordered the orderlies to help the injured, clean up, and get everyone else back to their rooms. He then ushered Niko out of the room and made their way to the infirmary, completely forgetting about Valentin until he saw him still standing at the door way. "Herr Nicolae, I'm afraid that I'll have to continue with you later." he apologized. Valentin's face held a look of shock and terror. He never thought he'd see his former best friend again. Not since he moved, and definitely not in the same institution for the mentally ill. Tears formed in Valentin's eyes, making their way into his voice as he spoke, "N-Niko...?" he asked in a quiet voice.

Niko was lost. Granted he was not but he was to afraid and shaking to do anything. His mind was wandering he was staring down at his hands covered in blood something he hadn't seen since the War. Faces kept flashing some with bullet holes, knife stabs, and some even more disfigured. All were people that he had killed and remembered clearly. But in the back of his head he heard that voice. He heard the accent of the child who would always cling to him and declared himself Niko's favorite brother even though they were not kin. He heard that and because of that he could only say one thing. "Mă întorc (I'll be back)" the Romanian phrase he told the crying child as he and his family were driving to the West. "Mă întorc..."

Valentin, afraid to hug, or even touch his found brother like he wanted to, just shook and held back tears he had kept with him since the day Niko left him. It was almost too much, but then he remembered Aleks. He wasn't there to see his beloved Niko. Valentin though, in the back of his head, it was probably best that he didn't. Not after what had just happened. Gilbert noticed the similarities between Valentin and the boy in the photo at the back of the book Niko allowed him to look through. They had known each other, these boys, since the very beginning.

They were all split apart, only to be reunited in such horrendous circumstances. Two of them losing their minds and a third who may as well be with his worry and grief. Gilbert sighed and moved Niko along, "You should head to your room Herr Nicolae. I'll be in shortly, I'd like to ask you a few things. But I need to help Herr Alovic at the moment." and with that Gilbert took Niko to the infirmary to be cleaned up.


	12. Adria 8

Gilbert had brought Niko to the infirmary, questioning his patient about what he had witnessed. "Herr Alovic," he began, standing next to the nurse who was checking Niko for any injuries, "what...what caused what had happened to happen?"

_"_ Mă întorc (I'll be back) ...Mă întorc..." was all that the disoriented Serbian could say. He was still being hit by the shock of seeing Vali again, as well as terrified by the violance he had caused. The man's screams still echoed in his ears. But it was not just that man's screams, no it never was. It was the screams of the dozens perhaps even hundreds of people that he had killed. All screaming at him at once. It was his punishment. His eternal hell.

That was the third time Gilbert had heard that phrase. It wasn't a language he knew and it confused him. "What is it that you keep saying? What language is it?" He asked hoping to get a little more from the Serb.

Grabbing ahold of the Doctor Niko pulled him in close to his face. His eyes were wild and frightened like a wild animal darting back and forth. He was scared and that was obvious, it could be understood. But as he pulled Gilbert close he just shook. "...Keep Vali... safe..." was all he could muster from himself.

Gilbert was confused, thigh he tried to keep himself together. He had seen the broken bond between the two only moments ago. But after he had witnessed what Niko Alovic was capable of, he was well willing to keep Valentin as safe as possible. It was the least he could do for either of them. Gilbert nodded. "Ja...I'll do that..." He replied quietly

* * *

Valentin paced his bare room as thoughts and memories bombarded him. What happened to his best friend? What is that caused him to land here in St. Luciano's? It was too much. But he remembered, _" Mă întorc" _It was what Niko told him the day he left him and Aleks when they were kids. It's what he said an hour ago as Dr. Beilschmidt took him to the infirmary. _"I'll be back"_

What was happening? "Vali..." Valentin froze. No. No, not him, please. "How could you do this to me? Why would you try to run away?" It was Adria. The whole reason why Valentin was left, once again, in a mental institution. "What are you doing here, Adria? How did you get in here?" Valentin asked as his body began to tremble. Adria smirked and crossed his arms, slowly approaching his lifelong victim.

"How many times?" He asked softly at first. "What?" Valentin squeaked, his back hitting the wall. "How many times do I have to tell you," Adria growled, slamming his hand onto the wall next to Valentin's head, "that you can NEVER get rid of me?" Valentin shook, positively terrified of what was to come. "Adria, you-you already sent me to the hospital!" He argued. "You deserved it." Was the growl he received in response. "You beat me to near death with a _book_!" The Romanian shouted. "You were going to let them take me away from you!" Adria screamed and grabbed Valentin, throwing him to the floor.

He straddled the blonde Romanian and wrapped his hands around his throat and squeezed. Valentin's hands instantly flew up to pry off Adria off of him with little luck. Adria squeezed, placing his thumbs onto Valentin's trachea and pressing down. Vali gasped for air and kicked his legs. Adria grinned and pressed harder. Tears fell from Valentin's eyes as he struggled. He felt as if he wasn't going to make it out of this, as if he truly was going to die this time. He was truly terrified.

Then there was a knock and his door opened. Adria let up and made his way to the door quickly, Valentin still on the floor gasping for air. "Herr Nicolae?" Dr. Beilschmidt asked as he opened the door, peeking his head through. He gasped and rushed to his patient's side.

Valentin panted, "I-it was Adria! He tried to kill me!" Tears streamed down his face as he sat up, his neck red from the hands that choked him. Gilbert took the crying man into his arms and did his best to comfort him as he would one of his kids. "Shh." He softly cooed, rubbing Valentin's back. Valentin sobbed into Gilbert's chest, gripping his sky blue dress shirt. They sat there for a long time while Gilbert turned into the father he was and softly sang to Vali a German lullaby that he often sang to Markus and Fritz.

Valentin calmed down eventually but he didn't want Gilbert to him go. He gripped Gilbert's shirt tighter and nuzzled into the crook of his neck. Gilbert's face heated up and he quickly let go of Valentin. "A-are you alright now, Herr?" He asked. Vali nodded and wiped his eyes. Gilbert then stood up and helped his patient off the floor. "Gut, I'm glad." He nodded and straightened his shirt. "Thank you, Dr. Beilschmidt..." Vali squeaked.

Gilbert nodded and cleared his throat. "So, would you like to tell me what happened?" He asked with concern. "Adria...he got mad. He thought I ran away from him and he...he..." Valentin teared up again. Gilbert sighed and pulled him into a hug once more. "Please..I'm so scared...please don't let him kill me..." Valentin pleaded quietly. "I won't..." Was the equally quiet reply.

There was silence for a few more moments. "Can I go see Niko...?" Vali asked. Gilbert sighed letting go of the Romanian. "Nein. I'm afraid I can't let you see him." Valentin seemed broken. "But...when?" Gil shook his head. Valentin sat on the edge of his bed absolutely defeated. "Doctor...I'm so alone here...Adria...he found me. Niko...I can't see him and I don't know when the next time I'll see Aleks..." Gilbert rubbed the back of his neck.

"Would you like to talk, Valentin? In my office? Maybe we could see what we can do about this Adria problem." Gil offered. "There's nothing anyone can do about him. He's a monster. He's always been a monster." Gilbert pulled the lone chair to sit in front of Valentin. "What does Adria tell you?" He asked. "He tells me...he tells me that without him, I'd never make it. That he keeps all the monsters away, but the only monster I see is him." The blonde explained.

Gilbert nodded and sat back in the chair. "I see...this isn't uncommon with schizophrenic patients. Adria is indeed keeping the other monsters away. He is the only figure you see right?" Valentin groaned,"You don't get it! I'm not schizophrenic! Adria is real! Look at what he did to me!" He pointed to the bruises on his neck. "Sit down, Herr." Gil urged, holding up his hand. "You have no idea, Gilbert." Valentin growled and stormed out of his room. He didn't want to be alone with Adria or Dr. Beilschmidt anymore.

Gilbert sighed and rubbed his forehead. Sometimes it was just so much.

* * *

Niko sat in a chair in a room in the infantry ward. He had been strapped to the bed but he had managed to undo it and no one had been in to check on the Serb since then. As he sat all he could do was stare at his hands. They were covered in blood and he had no idea if it was real or apart of his mind like it normally was. He had beat that man half to death and he had no idea why... 'Well that was a lie' he thought to himself as he sighed.

He had heard the gunshots and the fire of a tank, he wasn't sure where it came from, a tv or a radio perhaps... But as soon as he heard them he was back in Bosnia lying behind a wall of concrete praying for his life as people screamed all around him. That was all he could hear...constant screaming that never ended,and then he saw the other soldier and he just reacted. It was so natural...so familiar... But then the face changed and he wasn't in Bosnia he was here in this place...

"Им а чудовиште (I'm a monster)..."

* * *

** AN: so, im sorry for the delay, Fanfiction is just really starting to piss me off...**


	13. Adria 9

Aleksander sat in Gilbert's office in the semi-comfortable leather chair across the doctor's desk. He looked displaced in his own skin and he fidgeted in his seat. Gilbert walked into the office with a file in hand. "Hallo Herr Balakov, I'm glad that you could make it." Gilbert beamed. He plopped the file onto his desk as he sat himself into his own comfy swivel chair, the smile fading from his face. "What happened to you?" he asked the pale man sitting across from him. Aleksander sighed and looked up at the doctor. He looked tired. "I'm sorry...I just...I'm worried about Valentin. How is he doing...?" he asked quietly.

Gilbert sighed folding his hands over the cherrywood desk. "Well...I think it's too soon to tell really. But, something did happen the other day." Aleksander gasped and instantly lurched forward. "What happened to my Vali?!" he asked frantically. Gilbert held up a hand to calm the other. "Now now, before you get all frantic. What happened is not uncommon with his condition. He told me that Adria tried to kill him," Aleksander looked about ready to faint, "But he's alright!" Gilbert quickly assured. Aleks relaxed back in his chair and covered his face. "I just...can you help him, doctor? I...I can't lose him again." he pleaded.

Gilbert sighed, "I can only do so much, Herr. Unfortunately there isn't a "cure" per-say for schizophrenia...There _is_ medication for it, but there isn't a great chance of it doing much for him. Right now, I'd like to know more about him and his mental state before I start prescribing him any medication." he explained. Aleksander leaned forward in his chair, still covering his face. "Please...Please anything..." he pleaded in a muffled tone. "Herr Balakov, can I ask you a few questions?" Gilbert asked, sitting back from his outstretched position over his desk. "What...?" Aleks replied in a dead voice, hands dropping from his face and lolled his head up.

"Do you know a Serbian man by the name of, Niko Alovic? Because it's become apparent to me that Valentin does and-"

"Niko?!" Aleks interrupted with a near desperate shout. "What about Niko?!" Gilbert was taken aback by this. "W-well, uhm-" the doctor stumbled over his words, "Why did you bring him up...?" there was a sense of desperation Aleksander's voice as well as tears in his green eyes. "There was an incident the other day...I won't go into details for confidential reasons. But Valentin and he made brief contact and-" again Aleksander interrupted the doctor, "He's here!?"

"J-ja...he is...he's been my patient for a while now. Do you know him too?" he asked.

Tears rolled down Aleksander's face. "Da..I do...Please, can I see him? You have to let me-"

"Nein." Gilbert said sternly. "I can't let you or anyone see him." The Bulgarian looked defeated. "Why...?" he asked in barely a whisper. Gilbert sighed, "He isn't stable. The only thing he told me was to keep Valentin away and to keep him safe. I am going to apply that to you too. However if you'd like to see Valentin...I think we can arrange something in the following weeks or so." Aleks leaned back in his chair, mind reeling.

Niko was here. He hadn't seen the Serbian in how long? Memories flooded Aleksander's mind. All the letters and almost-kisses Aleks would try to sneak. And he was here. "Why..?" he murmured. "Hm?"

"Why is he here...? Niko?" Gilbert sighed. "I'm not allowed to divulge any information on any of my patients, by law of the state, all I can say is that he was checked in here by his brothers a few years ago." Then the thought hit him, the last picture in Niko's album. "Oh...I see. You knew Niko when you were kids. And Valentin too. Right?" Aleksander nodded. "He left though...when we were young. I never saw him again. We used to write, but...he just stopped one day and that was it. But now that I know he's here..."

Gilbert leaned back in his chair as he listened. "There seems to be quite s history with the three of you... I'll see what I can talk to Niko about, this subject may be a little touchy however. As for Valentin...I'll talk to him too, I'm sure he'll want to see you as soon as possible. I can call you when a visit will be arranged." sighed the doctor. Aleksander sighed and nodded, rubbing his forehead. "Could I visit with Vali today please?" Aleksander asked looking up at the doctor. "... I just want to see how he's fitting in and if he's okay."

Gilbert thought a moment before getting up. "Let me speak with him first." Aleks nodded as Gilbert left the office and made his way to Valentin's room.

* * *

The doctor sighed and ran a hand through his silver tresses as he walked down the hall to Valentin's room. The last time there was this much drama it was when he was getting a divorce. Knocking, he opened the door, "Herr Nicolae, Aleksander is here and he, would like to see you." Gilbert said looking at the other red eyed man who sat on the bed in his room looking up.

Vali looked up at Gilbert's question. 'Aleks is here?' he thought to himself before quickly remembering about Niko and telling the Bulgarian about the shot up in his bed, "Da!Da! I mean Yes!" the Romanian spouted excitedly as he quickly hopped up and rushed over to Gilbert. "Can you take me to him now?!" he pleaded in an urgent and very excited tone forgetting about Adria completely for the time being. Gilbert, understanding the others enthusiasm, nodded and smirked. " Ja, just follow me." he replied and quickly turned to lead the other to the visitation room.

As he led Valentin to the room he couldn't help but smile at least a little

bit looking back at the strawberry least he seemed happier now and that actully made Gilbert feel good inside, he was glad for the others happiness. He opened the door to the small visitation room. "You can take a seat, I'm going to get Aleksander." Valentin nodded and smiled. Valentin hadn't smiled in what seemed like years. Before Gilbert closed the door, Valentin nearly tackled him with a bear-hug. " _Mulțumesc..._ (thank you)" he said quietly into the doctor's chest. Gilbert patted Valentin's back almost awkwardly, "_Kein Problem_ (No problem). It's my job." Gilbert snaked out of Vali's arms and went to retrieve Aleksander.

* * *

Upon opening the door, Aleksander nearly exploded with excitement. "Vali?" Valentin attacked Aleks lovingly, squeezing him in a hug as if it had been years since their last meeting. Then Valentin started to cry. In fact, he sobbed. "V-Vali..? Vali what's wrong?" the Bulgarian asked softly as he held his charge in his arms. "Aleks! Aleks! I saw-I saw Niko! A-and then Adria tried to kill me again! Please, I want to go home! I can't do this anymore!" he begged through his tears. Aleksander hugged Valentin tighter and kissed his head. "I'm sorry Vali...", tears fell from green eyes and landed in strawberry blonde strands. Valentin wasn't wearing his trademark hat. By this, Aleksander could tell things were not good.

"I'm scared Aleks...more than ever..." Valentin said quietly as he sobbed at the same volume. "I know Vali...I know...But is doing everything he can. Give him time, tell him everything he asks. The sooner you do...the sooner you can come home..." Valentin was silent. He sniffled as he thought of . "Okay...I'll..I'll stay..." he caved. "I'll come to see you every chance I get, Vali, I promise."

Gilbert sat in his office, twisting his wedding ring anxiously. He did this whenever he was in deep thought. Even though the divorce, he had never taken off the ring. One could say his attachment was too strong, but he knew his mind wouldn't allow him to let go. At least not yet.

* * *

So he thought. His mind reeled with the commotion of the connection of the Bulgarian, Romanian, and Serbian. Which reminded him. He had a meeting with the Serbian in- "_Scheiße! _(Shit!)" Gilbert looked at his wristwatch and cursed realizing that he only had two minutes to get to said appointment. He jumped up from his seat, the chair spinning from the force, grabbed the Serb's folder and rushed to his room.

Niko had calmed down now. Cleaned up and back in his room he sat with that small black picture book in his lap. It was opened, and he was just staring at the photo with Aleks and Vali at the back of the book. He had never thought to see them again and now Vali was here...and he was here like this...this monster... murderer. 'What would Alek's think?' he thought gripping the side of the book tight enough till the whites of his knuckles were showing. Shaking his head he tried to get the flashbacks out of his head that appeared whenever he thought about the war. But it was useless they wouldn't go away they never went away.

Gilbert cleared his throat and knocked on the door before opening it, "Herr Alovic? It's time for our meeting..." he stated, peeking his head through. Niko looked up at this. He was silent and his eyes were simply eyed the chair by the desk before looking back at Gilbert then back at his picture book. Gilbert took this as an entrance and walked into the room, closing the door behind him. Silently, the psychiatrist took the chair, placed it near Niko and sat down. He plopped the folder onto the floor and interlaced his fingers over his knee. "I'm going to be abrupt. I'd like to talk to you about Aleksander and Valentin. Aleksander was here yesterday, he asked about you and I told him I would talk to you. So, I think that's what we should do."

As the sentence processed in the Serb's head he looked up quickly."Aleks is here..." he said more as a statement and acknowledgement then a question. He then dropped his head back to the book and placed his hand over the picture of them. His thumb softly brushing over the image of a young brown haired and strikingly green eyed boy. "Aleks and Vali are here...with me." he stated his hand curling into a fist at the mention of himself. Gilbert nodded then thought then shook his head, "Nein, nein, Valentin is the only one who is here. As a patient that is. Aleksander isn't admitted to the institution. However, he was here yesterday and asked to see you after he learned that you were here. I had to deny his request. I had no idea the three of you knew each other he and Valentin did have a visit though. It seems they both really want to see you, Niko."

Gilbert explained, studying the Serbian's actions carefully, jotting them down in a small flip notebook. Niko had kept his eyes on the picture as Gilbert told him about Aleks and Vali. He was relieved that Aleks was not here either but he was concerned that Vali had to be here. Looking up he looked deep into Gilbert's eyes. "What is wrong with Valentin?" he asked with his voice like always mentioned but a sense of concern could easily be read in the Serb's eyes showing his true feelings. Gilbert sighed. "I...I'm not authorized to tell you...But, there's nothing against him telling you himself..." he offered, catching, though barely, the sense of concern in the other's voice.

The Serbian fell back at this. He didn't know if he could face the Romanian after what he...what he had done, and what Vali had to see. Even though that was one of the least most viscous things, of what Niko had done when it came to violence. Looking at his hands they started to tremble slightly. He was afraid...he was afraid of what Vali would think... of what he himself might do...

"I can tell you're unsure. Listen, Niko," Gilbert leaned forward in his chair;elbows on his knees, "I could see, from the both of them, by their body language, the sound of their voices and especially their eyes, they _want _to see you. They miss you. Now, from all of our time together, I can also tell you're very hesitant. But I can see right now that you feel the same as they do. So, with all mental illnesses aside, what is it that you, as a man, as an individual, as Niko Alovic, want to do about this situation?" The look in Gilbert's eyes gave determination. Determination for Niko. He really wanted things to work as best they could for this man. He felt sympathy for him, for all of them.

"I don't want to hurt anyone anymore..." Niko answered quietly. 'Or to have himself hurt anymore either.' he thought to himself keeping his eyes on the picture book. Gilbert nodded in understanding and sat back. "Do you want to see them?" He was silent for a moment. All of his fears, would they be ashamed of him, would they reject him, would he hurt them...? But looking down at the picture, and seeing how happy they all were together and thinking of all the times and how much he loved both of them and how he had considered them so much like family, his mind was made up. "Da..." he said simply looking up at Gilbert. Gilbert smirked. "Alright then, in that case, you're going to have to work with me to get you stable enough to get you back out to general population. Then you can talk to Valentin and we can arrange visits with Aleksander. But you have to be willing to work with me."

"I will do what i can...i promise that... for them..." Niko replied slowly and broken apart. He would do everything he could to get so he could see them again but there was only so much that he could do. If it was enough he had no idea. Gilbert nodded, happy with the new arrangement. "Good. So then, would you like to start now?" He asked, hoping to power through as much as he ou was sighed, he was doing this for Vali and Aleks. Closing the book he looked up at the doctor and then simply nodded his head. "Okay," the doctor began, "Let's start with the beginning, when you and Valentin and Aleksander were kids. Maybe before you all were separated?"

"What would you like to know?" Niko asked staring at the doctor doing his best to just focus on him and the questions. "Any memories you'd like to share, good or bad." Said the doctor. Niko was silent for a few moments. Nothing in his childhood had really stood out, he played, went to school, and was an older brother and son. "I can't think of anything, it was all normal to me." It seemed this was going to be harder than expected, "What about Aleksander? It seemed to me there was a significantly strong bond between you two."

"We were the oldest we looked after everybody helped the others. He was my best friend, he's who i went to with everything, we did everything together." the Serbian answered monotonously his eyes drifting back down to his hands that he held over his lap. "What about Valentin?" Questioned the doctor."He was like our little brother, he was closer to Aleks but i helped look after him, he had a harder life than us living under Romanian law, it was stricter than Bulgaria and certainly stricter than Yugoslavia." he paused for a moment remembering ,being worried everytime Vali would go home and how relieved he was seeing the small boy the next day. "I suppose that just made us care about him all the more."

Gilbert smiled as he listened to his patient. He could understand Niko's worry for Valentin. He was often worried for the Romanian himself. "Do you know anything about Adria?" Gilbert asked, mentally face-desking for asking confidential this Niko looked up a straight at the doctor. "It was his imaginary friend, Vali was younger than us so he used to talk to it a lot, it was normal for children... why are you asking?" the Serb questioned. Gilbert sighed. "I already let out too much...T-Tell me about when you were all separated." He quickly tried to veer from Adria and hoped it worked.

Niko noticed the switch but said nothing. All things come in time that was something his commanders had taught him. With a slight nod he went back to the doctors questions. "My father got reassigned, he was a high ranking official in the Communist Party, we were sent to Bosnia on the other side of Yugoslavia. Me and Aleks used to write back and forth but that stopped after th-... the war." he managed to get out after a brief moment of silence with the what seemed like a shudder but was not passing over the Serbian. So strong it appeared that he even looked cooler.

"I remember Aleksander mentioning something about letters. Why did they stop? And the war, how long were you there? What happened when you left?" Gilbert asked as he jotted down a couple notes. Niko was quiet. He didn't want to talk about this, he didn't want to have to relive that goddamned nightmare anymore, he didn't want to see the blood, hear the screams while he slept. But he had to, for his family, for Vali and Aleks. Taking a breath and curling up his fists he did his best to speak. "I served in Bosnia for 3 years then in Kosovo for 4 years I joined the army when I was 14 years old... " he answered keeping his head low.

The doctor was surprised, a child soldier? It explained so much now. "14...now I can understand why your PTSD is so significant. Do you want to tell me about your time served in the wars?"Niko's hand tightened up at this question. It started to come back like it always did the guns the blood, the screams. He shut his eyes but that did nothing. Lifting his hands up he covered his ears trying to block it out but it never went away. He wanted to scream himself but he was silent. Gilbert stood up, "Its okay," he assured, his fatherly instincts coming out, "you're not there, you're safe here Niko. We can stop for now." He hesitated to place a hand on the other's shoulder for assurance and comfort before simply doing it.

Niko could hear Gilberts voice through the screaming. Focusing on that it slowly disappeared. And after a while it was gone and it was quiet and all he could feel was Gilbert's hand on his shoulder. Looking up clear as day was fear in the Serbian man's eyes. Pure fear and as a result he was just shaking. "It never stops...it won't stop..." he muttered out shaking his head as he looked at the floor. "I know, I know that it will never stop, that your mind won't let go. But with help, it can happen less frequently. I want to do everything I can to help you. Unfortunately we are going to have to get through the hard parts but it's all apart of the treatment to help. I'll try my best to cushion it but I cannot guarantee it. Know this, and feeling what had just happened, are you still willing to go through with this?" Gilbert asked and informed in a soothing voice that he would often use with his own children.

Niko was quiet and still once more for a moment before slowly nodding his head. "Da... I will keep going." he said answering the doctors question. Gilbert nodded and sat back down, "Take all the time you need." he looked up and stared at Gilbert before starting. "It was in Sarajevo where I killed for the first time, and where I was rewarded for it..."


	14. Adria 10

Gilbert paced in his office, stopping to look out the window or flip through one of the books on his shelf almost absentmindedly. He found it hard to wrap his mind around what he had just heard. It struck him straight home. He had boys himself, he couldn't stop picturing either of them in Niko's place. He couldn't stop thinking of them doing what his patient had to. This one, this patient he had, he was almost unsure if he could continue working with him, but thoughts of his own boys in that man's place decided for him. Because he felt a need to do everything he could. He had to, just thinking about it kept playing their conversation back in his head over and over again.

"_So tell me what happened in Sarajevo?" Gilbert asked leaning in to look at his patient. Niko on the other hand was not eager to start but reluctantly went on with it. "The siege of Sarajevo was one of the worst battles of the war... the city was divided Serbs and Bosniaks mainly a few Roma and Croatians but not many, but this is what caused all the fighting. Snipers were everywhere shooting every day, from churches and mosques you couldn't go out in the street but we always would..." Niko was starting to look very uncomfortable but Gilbert noticed this with a little coaxing he got the Serb to continue. _

"_We were set up in an abandoned hotel, half of it was destroyed because of bombing and artillery strikes on the city. Our mission was to kill any armed rebels but that really just meant to shoot the Bosnakis... We were across from this grocery store one of the only ones that was still open, I remember sitting there when I saw someone come out of it he had an AK one of ours, but he wasn't wearing our uniforms and he didn't have a cross on. He wasn't us or a Serb and when he looked up I pulled the trigger like was told to... I can remember him just staring at me as he fell down in his own blood... I felt horrible but the others just congratulated me and praised me... after awhile I got used to it and even later I was proud of it... then I started to enjoy it..." _

_The Serbian man was shaking now his hands, legs, his whole body. He couldn't stop and he didn't even try to talk anymore in his head the screams had returned and all he wanted was silence. _

Gilbert sighed as he leaned on the desk. There must be something that relieves the Serb's mind, something that makes him forget, even for a bit. Something that could distract him from the past. There's always something that unclouded the mind of anyone. Even just once. Again he sighed, brushing his hair back with his hand. He didn't know what to do. And as for Valentin...

* * *

Gilbert and Valentin continued for another few months with little success. Valentin refused to speak to much about Adria for fear of angering him. So instead, they spoke about anything other than the monster inside Valentin's mind. Because of this, Valentin fell hard and fast for Gilbert Beilschmidt. It was because Gilbert was willing to talk to him, he was there to comfort him during the sessions, Gilbert made it seem like he cared, like he felt the way Valentin did. But each time Vali's heart welled with the tingly fuzzy happy feeling, it was quickly shot down when he would see the doctors wedding ring. Gilbert never talked about his wife, said things were complicated. It made Valentin uncomfortable and only angered Adria.

"Valentin?", Gilbert asked, the Romanian insisted on a first name basis, "Do you think we can talk about Adria today?" Valentin stared into his lap before he looked up at the doctor, "I told what would happen if I did..." He said. Gilbert sighed, "Valentin...if you don't ever tell me about him, I won't be able to help you. You have to tell me..." Valentin looked away again. "Fine. On one condition." Gilbert's face lit up but quickly faded, "Und, was ist dass? (And what is that?)" he asked in an almost irritated tone. "Tell me about your wife." Gilbert swallowed. He hated just thinking about her, let alone talking about her. "Fine. It's a deal." He agreed knowing that Valentin felt the same way about Adria as he did about his wife.

Feeling relieved, though only slightly, Valentin took a breath before he began, "Adria...is a monster. But you know that. He's almost bi-polar. It's almost like an abusive relationship that we have if we were in one...and to him...we are. According to Adria...he owns me. I'm not allowed to do anything without his permission or go anywhere without him. I'm only allowed a certain amount of time with Aleksander even..." Gilbert nodded as he listened intently. This had been one of his most interesting cases he's had in a long time so he focused every ounce of his attention in turn. "Adria, is he physically real to you,Valentin?" The addressed nodded, "I can see him, hear him, feel him, like I can you or anyone else. He is the one that beats me up, it isn't myself, like you say, it's really Adria. I can see and feel him do those things to me. Adria is terrifying and I know that when I get back to my room, I'm really gonna get it for telling you all this..."

Valentin curled up on the sofa in Gilbert's office. He held his knees to his chest and hid his face. Gilbert sighed. "Valentin...I see that to you truly see Adria as a physical entity and that is apart of your illness. Have you ever tried standing up to him?" The doctor fiddled with his wedding ring. Valentin looked up, still holding his knees taught to his chest, his white scrubs making him look like a white paint spill on the dark leather couch. "You have to tell me about your wife now." He stated, watching Gilbert twist and turn his wedding ring. "My wife...we were together for three years...I loved her very much. We had two boys together, as you know, but unfortunately, we didn't last long." Gil didn't make eye contact with his patient.

He never spoke about himself to his patients, but none of them ever asked. Not like Valentin. As for the blonde, he seemed nearly heartbroken as he listened. "Did she die?" He asked quietly from his knees. "Nein, we are divorced. We have been for two years...her brother hates me and finally convinced her to leave me." He combed his hand through his silver hair, "We've been at each other's throats ever since..." Valentin felt sympathy for the doctor. He could always see something behind his eyes, and now he knew what it was. Sadness, loneliness, disappointment. It hurt the Romanian to see someone he'd come to care for in that state. "Do you still love her?" He asked hoping the answer to be no. "It's your turn." Gilbert said more firmly than he intended. "Valentin looked down at his knees. "I don't want to talk anymore..." He said quietly, not making eye contact. "When can I see Niko?"

"The thing about Niko is...he tends to become unstable very easily. He's been through a lot and-"

"He's my family. You have to let me see him. Please." Gilbert sighed. He knew how much they wanted to see each other and that Niko had been doing better than he had in a long time. He didn't know if it was safe just yet. "I heard he was out in common population...I'll tell you more if you let me see him..." Valentin tried bribing. Gilbert gave in, "Alright. I'll allow it. But you must be careful, Valentin. Understand?" Valentin nodded, "Thank you..." Gilbert just sighed and nodded back, again twisting and turning his wedding ring.

* * *

Gilbert arrived at his brothers house late. He had asked him to watch the boys since he had to stay late at work. He thumped up the steps and opened the door, inviting himself in like he had so many times before. "Bruder!" He called as he wandered into the living room where Ludwig sat on the couch with his face buried in a couch pillow. "What's with you?" Asked the older of the two, walking to the fridge in the open kitchen to grab a beer before planting himself with a groan next to his younger brother. "Feliciano keeps giving them cake, that's what's with me." Ludwig said, lifting head to look at his brother who snickered. "Ja, that'll about set you out for the week." He laughed, taking a sip of his beer. "Why'd you have to stay so late?" Ludwig asked. Gilbert rubbed an eye with the heel of his palm and said, "I work with people, Lud. And they wear on you. "

"Seems like they're wearing on you a little more than usual, bruder." Ludwig observed with a concerned tone. "Lud...there haven't been many people who cared. Who gave two shits about me aside from you and Feli. I thought that Madeline was going to be one of you guys. I thought I was finally going to settle down with a woman I loved. But I was wrong and she turned out to be like everyone else. Just corrupted by her brother. Lud... I found another person. Some one who asks me how I am, who wants to listen to me talk about nothing."

"You sound like a woman, but go on." Ludwig said in a teasing manner. Gilbert shoved his little brother and smirked, "Shut up. But you get what I'm saying don't you?" The younger nodded. "So what's the problem?" He asked. Gilbert stared down at his half empty (or full) beer bottle. "It's one of my patients." Ludwig sighed, knowing well enough that his brother couldn't become involved with his patients. "Are you saying you're in love with your patient?" Gilbert groaned and got up from the couch, "I don't know! I'm not supposed to be but he-"

"He? I thought you were only interested in women..."

"I know. So did I. But then he came into my life and started to care! I don't know what to do...and what about the boys? I mean I know they don't care about homosexuality, but...what do you think they would do? Especially if it's with a patient of mine? I mean...you know the people I work with. They don't understand yet, not even Markus. They just know that they're sick." Gilbert covered his face with his hands and sighed. "You need to relax bruder. You still have yet to get over your divorce. I mean, you still wear your wedding ring. It's been two years, bruder. Don't keep fighting for her, Gil."

"I know, I know..." He checked his watch "I should be getting them home... Where are they?"

"With Feliciano."

"Markus! Fritz! Time to go home!" Gilbert called to his boys who came running, grasping onto his legs. Gil smiled and held his boys. He scooped them up in his arms, "Danke bruder for watching them, and danke to you too Feli." Feliciano smiled and nodded. "No problem Gil!" He practically sang in a strong Italian accent. Ludwig got up and walked his brother to the door. "Relax, bruder. Don't focus too much on Madeline or your feelings for your patient." Gil nodded and smiled his usual smile that hid away what he felt, "Ja, I'll try bruder." And he carried his children to the car, buckling them both in.

As he was buckled in Markus looked up at the man who was his older self completely in appearance. Ruby eyes looked worried as his father buckled him in the small boy hugged him. "Vati are you okay? You looked like you needed a hug..." Gilbert wat startled at first but softened and hugged his son back. "Danke, little one" he said softly. "I wanna hug Vati too!" Fritz nearly whined in his booster seat. Gilbert laughed, "Okay okay." He smiled, closing the door and going around the the car to hug his youngest son. "Yay! Now I want to hug you Mark!" The blonde child squealed, reaching his tiny arms towards his brother, not being able to reach. Markus in response leaned over a bit to allow his brother to reach him before smiling softly. He was rather mature for his age it was odd at times but most of the time quite admirable.

"Yay!" Fritz cried, hugging his brother tightly. Gilbert smiled and got into the car himself and pulled out of the driveway before heading home.

* * *

Once home, Gilbert bathed and dressed his boys, putting them both in their beds of the room the siblings shared. "Ok, do you boys want a story before bed?" He asked, standing up from tucking in Markus. He looked between the two, Fritz having already fallen asleep. Gilbert smiled, "Well, what about you? Do you want a story tonight, Markus?" Markus looked at his dad then back at his brother before looking back at Gilbert once more. "Aren't you tired Vati?" Gilbert stifled a yawn. He was tired, but, "I don't mind reading you something if you want me to." He smiled "You're my boy." he justified. Markus thought about it for a minute before nodding his head and scooting over to the other side of the bed to make room for his father. Gilbert grabbed a book of European fairy tales, flipping to a random one, and sat next to his son, reading him a Romanian fairy tale that didn't quite help his predicament.

Once the story was over and Markus was asleep, Gilbert set aside the book, re-tucked in his sleeping eldest son and left to his room, making sure the nightlights were still on before closing the door.

The German closed the door to his room and ran a hand through silver tresses. He sat on the edge of his bed, twisting and turning his wedding ring. Looking down at the golden band, it was then he made his decision. The golden band came off and became lost in a box of forgotten things, shoved to the dissolving darkness of a neat closet.

* * *

The next day Gilbert spun himself in his chair, feeling lighter than he had in years. Maybe it was the fact that he had finally given up on his ex wife, or that he had the best pancakes he ever made for breakfast, or the fact that his boys had both given him hastily drawn "feel better Vati" pictures that morning that now hung in his office for everyone to see. Whatever it was, Gilbert felt great. He looked at the schedule his secretary had sent him via e-mail and smirked feeling it would be an easy day when in fact it was one of his busiest. He hopped up from his seat and strolled down the hall to Valentin's room and knocked. "Da?" Valentin asked quietly when he answered the door, half of it hiding his face. "Vali!" Gilbert shouted happily, throwing up his arms. Valentin blushed lightly at the informality, "I've spoken to Niko, he'd like to see you today, so if you're willing-"

"Da!" Valentin shouted and threw the door open, revealing a fresh black eye."What happened, Valentin?!" Gilbert cried, cupping the smaller male's face in his 's face went a shade darker as he melted into the touch and noticed and dropped his hands almost reluctantly. Vali blushed, embarrassed this time and looked away. "It was just Adria. I told you what would happen if I talked too deeply about him. But it's okay!" the little blonde reassured with an eager smile. "It gives me more chances to talk to you anyways!" Gilbert rubbed his neck nervously, wanting to be uncomfortable with the complement but couldn't. "Ja, well, right, anyways, Niko is waiting in a visiting room if you'd like to see him." Valentin nodded and Gilbert turned to lead the Romanin to said room.

* * *

Niko sat in the visiting room toying with an Orthodox cross necklace that his brothers had left him. Two of his brothers had visited him a few weeks ago after hearing of his progress it had been the first time he had seen either of them in maybe 6 months or so. It was an awkward visit but the two were reassured that this was helping their elder brother and that made them happy. The necklace had been Nikos when he was a child a gift that his father had given him. It had been so long since he saw and held it,he wasn't sure how he felt about seeing it now. It used to give him comfort as a child, to know God was watching over him. Nowadays though he didn't even know if there was a God after all he had seen. Valentin walked into the room almost sheepishly at first. Niko hadn't looked up yet, "N-Niko..?" Vali ventured.

Slowly the Serb looked up and he then dropped the cross as he stood when he saw the Romanian. "Vali..." he tried to say more but he couldn't. He knew that Gilbert had talked about seeing the Romanian soon but he didn't know it would happen today, he had expected another of his siblings not...not Vali. Valentin couldn't hold it in any longer and instantly latched himself onto the Serb, just like he used to when they were young. He hugged him tighter than he ever had before and held in his tears. "I missed you!" he squealed in a high-pitched, tear-filled voice.

Niko was taken aback for a moment silent and lost he needed a moment to gather himself but slowly and shakily he wrapped his arms around the shorter man and buried his head in the others shoulder. Him shaking as the other sobbed. "Vali.. Vali." he repeated monotonously a couple of times still a bit of disbelief of actually holding the other once more. Valentin smiled into the other's chest, happy to once again see the friend who was more of a brother to him than his true siblings. He missed Niko so much, he thought he was gone. Gone forever. It was a long time before the two pulled apart and Valentin looked up at his essential brother, "You did come back..." he said quietly, "It's really you...I thought you were gone forever, you stopped writing to Aleks...why..? What happened to you Niko?" Vali asked quietly, touching the other's face, just to be sure this was real.

At this Niko couldn't look Vali in the eyes. He was ashamed of what he had done, what he had become. In the Serb's mind he was a murderer and a monster unfit to ever be let out of this place. He had killed innocent people who had done him nothing wrong. Of course he had been told to do it 'it was war' but at the same time it wasn't. In Bosnia they hadn't been fighting military vs military it was neighbors vs neighbors, friends vs friends. It was a bloodbath and he had bathed and reveled in it. How could he tell little Vali any of that? Vali waited for an answer. " told me you've been through a lot...he didn't say what though. He said he wasn't allowed. But whatever it is, you don't have to be sad about it." he offered a smile, "we can be family again. You, me, and Aleks...don't you think? Aleks has really missed you too. He reads your letter all the time, sometimes he even reads em to me when Adria isn't acting up. I think you'll be able to see Aleks soon, I mean, if you can see me then you can see him too!" He smiled even wider, the child in him emerging. It was almost as if they were kids again and they hadn't been separated. "I hope you can, he really misses you Niko..." he murmured.

"Da..." Niko murmured out as he squeezed Vali close to him for a moment before noticing his eye. Rubbing his fingers over it softly he looked at Vali with a look of puzzlement though a hint of anger and tension could be felt in the room as it had appeared to get a lot colder all of a sudden. "Who?" was all that Niko asked . Valentin looked down, as if he were ashamed. "Adria...but I wouldn't worry about it too much...he's done worse.." Niko was silent now he understood what the German doctor had said and why he had asked him. Quietly he just held Vali closer wishing that this had never happened to the smaller man. "I know..." Niko answered back quietly as he once more laid his head on Vali's shoulders. Valentin nodded and hugged Niko like a scared child would their parent. He was afraid to say anything else about Adria for fear of Niko getting angry or Adria getting angry. "I'm scared Niko..." was all he said as tears welled in his voice, and as a response Vali felt water on his shoulder and could hear strained breathing as the larger man started to shake again. He wasn't sure who the scared one was again.

**Author's Note: **I'd just like to mention (cause I can! [read: cause no one ever wants to]) I do have an rp facebook if anyone is interested~ :3 https: .com .3762584?ref=tn_tnmn (take out the spaces) I rp Valentin and Gilbert ^^


	15. Adria 11

**Author's Note: **I would like to apologize for the long wait on this chapter. Whenever I tried to work on this, I would get stuck or something would come up or I would become busy with something else. So I hope you enjoy what We have for you here, my collaborator and I. I would also like to apologize for the mega slow pace of this story. I'll try to speed it up. Thank you. ^^

* * *

Niko and Vali were sitting in the cafeteria, eating their lunch mostly through Serbian had been allowed to come back to the common areas for about a week now. Though more guards were posted then normal, but this did not bother either Vali or Niko. Each other's company being enough, small blips of a conversation here and there. Vali was happy he was able to be around Niko again. He smiled as he ate. It had been one of the few smiles he allowed in years. Of course, the more he was around Gilbert, the more they arose. He looked at Niko who ate slowly. He could only hope Niko could be happy too. Aleks was visiting today, but Vali wanted to keep it a surprise for Niko.

Gilbert wandered into the cafeteria and smiled as he searched for his two most prominent patients. Finding them he then at the table across from Niko and Valentin. "Good afternoon gentlemen!" Vali smiled, setting down his fork. "Good afternoon, Dr. Beilschmidt!" He practically sang. As a response Niko simply nodded at the doctor, which for him was pretty decent. "Oh!" Valentin leaned over the table and whispered into the doctor's ear, "Can Niko also see Aleks? Please? I think it'd be really good for the both of them!" He looked to Gilbert, not yet moving back to his seat. Gilbert thought as he looked at Niko. He had been doing well lately...perhaps he could allow it. He nodded then, "Ja, I think I can allow that." He smiled at the Romanian. Valentin smiled and went to hug Gilbert around the neck before the doctor moved, standing up. "I'm sorry but you know the rule. No touching staff, Valentin."

The blond male sat back down and nodded, hurt yet refusing to show it. "Da...I forgot, sorry."

"Gut! I'll let you know when he gets here." Gilbert gave the table a tap before leaving the cafeteria.

As the Doctor left Niko looked down into his Styrofoam coffee cup watching the black liquid swirl around and around. "You like him." the Serb said keeping his eyes staring at his cup. "Wha-what?!" Valentin's face turned crimson red as he stared at the Serb in disbelief. "I don't know what you're talking about." He huffed, instantly denying everything and crossing his arms. "You're blushing." Niko replied with only a glance up at the Romanian. "I know these things..." Valentin covered his face. "I'm not blushing now! And you don't know..." He lowered his hands and looked at his half eaten lunch. "I don't even know. Besides. Adria won't let me like anyone. I had a boyfriend when Adria was gone." He began to eat again. "But then Adria came back and made me break up with him. He was nice...his name was Lukas and he was from Norway." He said this as if it were a normal occurrence, not making eye contact as he ate.

Niko refused to look up as he listened to Vali's story. Despite his condition he for the most part still had his mind. He could think clearly and the Serb was a smart man. Over this time with Vali he could tell what was wrong with him and knew it was because of that... thing... Balling his hand into a fist he simply kept looking down. "Budite jači (Be strong)" he whispered out hoping that the other could.

* * *

And so they sat, the plain light tan of the Visitor's room a stark difference to their white scrubs. Valentin studied one of the paintings that were bolted into the wall until the door opened and Aleksander stepped through. "Aleks!" Vali shouted happily, jumping up to hug his caretaker before being shouted at by one of the orderlies. Aleksander closed the door so he could return the hug without interruption. "Hello, Vali. I'm glad to see you so joyed to see me." He smiled before he looked up at the other male in the room. He was speechless. The other male looked so much like his dear Niko. He didn't know he was ever going to be able to see the Serb and now that he was...he didn't know how to react.

Despite what Vali thought Niko still was not expecting Aleks. He thought to himself it might have been one of his younger brothers who had been around Vali's age or so. But deep down he knew this day was coming and now that it was here he as well was not sure how to react. Sitting down gold eyes looked up at green ones as he fumbled around with his cross in his hand. He was lost not really sure what to say or do. It had been so long, this was different than when he had saw Vali. He loved the Romanian but he and Aleks had a different kind of love..

Aleksander fumbled for words, still holding the Romanian. "Niko...I..." He didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to do. "Aleks, sit here." Valentin sat Aleksander down in what was his seat. "I got to see Aleks everyday for four years. So now. Niko, it's your turn. Te iubesc (I love you). Both of you." He hugged them both and he left.

Niko tried to say something to Vali first then to Aleks but it couldn't come out. He watched as Vali left the room turning to look back at Alek's green emerald eyes before looking down in his hand and seeing that it was wrapped tightly around the small metal cross and was starting to shake. He didn't know what to do. Looking up once more the Serb's eyes were red rimmed as he did his best not to cry, his whole body shaking now. "Niko..."Aleksander tilted his own head to better look at Niko. He bit into his finger before he wrapped his arms around the other in a tight hug then started to cry. He was so happy, he had his love in his arms once again. "Niko...I missed you so much..." He tightened his grip on the Serb.

Niko placed his head against Alek's chest and just let the other hold him as he shook and tried not to cry though there was no real way to stop it. Right there sitting in that chair and burried in the other man's shirt and coat he just wished it would all go away. The War, his divided family, All the things he had done, he just wished he could be right here forever in Alek's arms. Aleksander held the Serbian close and stroked his hair to comfort him. Like he did when they were younger.

Through the small glass window, Valentin and Gilbert watched the whole scene like a couple of fangirls. "I told you they were sweet together." Valentin sighed softly. "They are...what about you?" Gilbert asked, looking down at the smaller man. "Hm? Oh...I'm not allowed. Not that it would matter." Smiled Valentin, turning his attention back to Aleksander and Niko.

After a few moments and Niko had managed to regain control of himself. Wrapping his arms around the other's waist he held himself there. "Im sorry..." he said tightening around the other male. Aleksander brushed a strand of hair from Niko's face. "Don't be...I have you here now, don't I?...I kept all your letters...why did you stop writing me?" He said, laying his head on the other's shoulder.

Niko was quite looking down into Alek's lap. 'How could he tell him what he had done, the monster he had become...' he couldn't he knew that and there was no way that he could. Suddenly Niko was very small and he had started shaking again. He was getting lost in his own nightmares again and he knew that the screams were going to come back. Openly weeping now the Serbian couldn't stop. "I-I'm so s-sorry..." was all he could barely get out. It was then that Gilbert opened the door. "Ah, ja, Hallo." He waved awkwardly, not really wanting to interrupt the moment but knew he had to. "I don't mean to interrupt, but Visiting hours are over...Niko, it's time you return to your room. But, Herr Balakov may I speak with you in my office?" Aleksander nodded as Niko reluctantly let go.

As he stood trying to stop himself from shaking, Niko reached out and very softly stroked a lock of Aleks' black hair before heading back towards his room gripping his cross and as it seemed when he was around the corner covering his ears to block out a sound. Aleksander watched as Niko left, hitching his breath, seeing him cover his ears. Valentin peeked over the door at Aleks. The Bulgarian sighed and stood up, following the doctor to his office. Valentin followed as well until Gilbert turned around. "You'll have to return to your room too, Valentin." Vali sighed himself and nodded, heading to his room as he was told.

* * *

In Gilbert's office, the doctor spoke with Aleksander. He asked for the Bulgarian to tell him what he could about Niko, deciding to drop the doctor-patient confidentiality rule in order to better help his patient. Aleksander told the doctor everything he could remember from the time they were children to their meeting today. "Please...Doctor, help Niko...and Vali. I love them both to death, and seeing them here, in this place. I love Niko. I always have. And Valentin...he's like a little brother to me. Please, do something for them..." Aleks pleaded with the doctor.

Gilbert sighed and nodded. Many family members always asked the same thing of the doctor. "Help him." "Help her" they'd beg. Yet, in his time as a doctor at St. Luciano's, Gilbert had seen a steady decline of family wanting help. They'd just dump the patients and leave. Visits were rare. So, hearing Aleksander plead the way he did, and having observed the relationship the three had, Gilbert decided that he was going to devote more of his time to them, to helping Niko and Valentin. He figured they deserved it most.

"I'll do everything I can for them. You all have a very strong relationship. But, it's going to be no quick resolve. It's going to take a very long time. They're both very sick." Aleksander nodded in understanding. "As long as they get well enough to come home." he muttered.

The day had ended, night blanketing the sky. Gilbert was driving home, the trio on his mind, how their stories intertwined. It was like a movie or a soap opera. They were so ill by themselves, especially Niko and Valentin. Yet when they all came together...it was as if it was all okay. Or at least better than being on their own. He decided to conduct a small study, to see just what happened when they were all together for a determined period of time, hoping that he could help them and return them home to one another. Perhaps then he could figure something out...

As he thought of them, Valentin continued to grow more and more prominent in his mind. He'd begun to care more deeply about the Romanian boy, he thought about him more. "He'd be so much more lovely if he'd smile more..." Gilbert muttered to himself as he drove home in the dark. He blinked then. What did he say? He shook his head. Gilbert was starting to feel something for Valentin...something he shouldn't be feeling.

* * *

As for Valentin, he lay in his bed, thinking about his friends. He was happy they could see each other again; a smile crept onto his lips. "I wish I could be happy like them...that I had someone..." he muttered to himself as he let his eyes slip closed. _"You like him" _Valentin remembered Niko saying earlier in the cafeteria. He covered his eyes with his arm. He felt more than just "like" for his doctor. He felt the buddings of love. But Valentin knew Adria wouldn't allow these feelings. He didn't when he was with Lukas, and Valentin felt so in love with Lukas. He'd lost his virginity to him. Yet when Adria had caught wind, he came back full force and beat Valentin until he agreed to leave Lukas.

It had killed Valentin when he had to break up with the Norwegian. Due to that, he fell harder under Adria's rule, which allowed him to land in St. Luciano's. However, he was thankful for that, because if it hadn't of happened...he never would have met Gilbert. And as a lone tear of fear and happiness slipped down the side of his face, Valentin had decided he wasn't going to let go. Not this time. "I love him..."


End file.
